Identifying and understanding individual differences in frustration with technology

Abstract

Individual differences in user responses to malfunctions with technology are of primary interest, as this influences how a product can be improved and has not been examined extensively. Previously, individual differences in responses to technology failures have been examined in self-reported studies, but not in an experimental design. The current study expanded the findings from previous research with a mixed factorial design. Seventy-two (N = 72) undergraduate students were recruited to participate in this online study. They were asked to complete a shopping task and complete a survey about their experience. To examine individual differences in responses to technology failures, several repeated measures ANOVAs, multiple regressions, and hierarchical regressions were conducted to assess the effects of expectation and malfunction on frustration and performance. Results revealed individuals with a greater tendency to be neurotic or extraverted also tended to be more frustrated by a technology malfunction. Additionally, openness was the strongest predictor of less frustration with technology failures, while extraversion was the strongest predictor of more frustration with technology failures.

Keywords:

• Malfunction
• frustration
• performance
• personality
• online shopping

Acknowledgements

This research was made possible thanks to the participation of enrolled students at North Carolina State University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nina R. Ferreri

Nina R. Ferreri, BA, is a graduate student at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, pursuing a PhD in psychology with a concentration in human factors and applied cognition. Her research interests include examining user frustration with technology when it malfunctions while also considering user expectations for technology performance. She is also interested in examining differences in responses to technology malfunctions among different age cohorts. ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0614-5684. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ninaferreri.

Christopher B. Mayhorn

Christopher B. Mayhorn is a professor of psychology and department head at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. He is also a fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society with research interests in applied cognition, human–technology interaction, safety, and ageing. He earned his BA from The Citadel in 1992, his MS and PhD from the University of Georgia (1995 and 1999, respectively), and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Georgia Institute of Technology.