Social and Psychological Influences on Computer User Frustration

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Date
2003-01-21Author
Bessiere, Katie
Ceaparu, Irina
Lazar, Jonathan
Robinson, John
Shneiderman, Ben
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
As computer usage has proliferated, so has user frustration. Even devoted and
knowledgeable users encounter annoying delays, incomprehensible messages,
incompatible files, and indecipherable menus. The frustration generated by
these problems can be personally disturbing and socially disruptive.
Psychological and social perspectives on frustration may clarify the
relationships among variables such as personality types, cultural factors, goal
attainment, workplace anger, and computer anxiety. These perspectives may also
help designers, managers, and users understand the range of responses to
frustration, which could lead to effective interventions such as redesign of
software, improved training, better online help, user discipline, and even
resetting of national research priorities.
(UMIACS-TR-2002-90)
(HCIL-TR-2002-19)