The present study investigates the potential of measuring a person's stress level by their computer mouse usage. This measurement approach is based on the assumption that cognitive and physiological changes due to stress do manifest in measurable psycho-motor changes when using the mouse. We conducted a within-participant laboratory experiment in which we captured the mouse usage of N = 53 participants during four tasks in a high-stress and a low-stress condition. Although self-report as well as physiological data indicated successfully manipulated differences in stress level between the conditions, we failed to find clear differences in mouse usage as a function of stress level. Theoretical as well as methodological challenges of the research area, which emerged from the results, are discussed.

本研究调查了通过使用计算机鼠标来测量一个人的压力水平的潜力。此测量方法基于这样的假设：使用鼠标时，由于压力引起的认知和生理变化确实会在可测量的心理运动变化中体现出来。我们进行了一项参与者内部实验室实验，其中我们 在高压力和低压力条件下的四个任务中捕获了N = 53个参与者的鼠标使用情况。尽管自我报告和生理数据表明成功地控制了两个条件之间的压力水平差异，但我们未能发现小鼠使用中与压力水平相关的明显差异。讨论了从结果中得出的研究领域的理论和方法挑战。