Evaluating the Affective Aspect of Intuitive Interactions Using Image Schemas

Abstract

Intuitive use is a desirable feature in product and interface design. Until recently, however, there has been little research on the affective aspects of intuitive use. This paper contributes to the research in this area by proposing a systematic analytical method for assessing the affective aspect of intuitive use; the method uses an ontology of image schemas, computational semantics, and a sentiment analysis to determine the affect associated with interactions. The approach is evaluated through an empirical study involving 40 participants who completed a task with two products. The results show that the approach links the image schemas used for the completion of a task to the affective experiences of the users. The study has the potential to lead to improvements in design and the improved evaluation of intuitive use because it allows experiences to be linked directly to the specific image schemas employed in the design.