{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]],"date-time":"2026-03-31T09:28:48Z","timestamp":1774949328746,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":69,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,17]],"date-time":"2017-07-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1500249600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["AJIM"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,17]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The evaluation of website usability is the precondition and a critical step for website design and optimization. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and provide empirical evidence of the interrelationships between human physiological metrics and website usability. This study examines how eye-movement metrics and heart rate variability (HRV) evaluate website usability, and then affect users\u2019 online surfing behavior.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A physiological measurement experiment is designed to collect participants\u2019 physiological metrics. This paper proposes an objective measurement model for website usability, and partial least squares is used to analyze the measurement and structural models, based on data collected from 200 participants who had experienced online surfing at least four times.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The analysis supports partially or fully 28 of the 31 hypotheses formulated. The study reveals that human physiological metrics (i.e. fixation duration, fixation count, blink count, HRV) have a strong explanatory ability for website usability.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Data for this study were collected only from mainland China. Therefore, participants may have been influenced by Chinese cultures. The generalizability of this study may be enhanced by collecting data from more diverse samples and validating the model on different cultures.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This study contributes significantly to the industry by providing empirical evidence of the interrelationship between human physiological metrics and website usability. The findings also provide managers with valuable insight into better understanding of the nature of these interrelationships.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/ajim-09-2016-0155","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,25]],"date-time":"2017-07-25T07:33:25Z","timestamp":1500968005000},"page":"370-388","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Effective use of human physiological metrics to evaluate website usability"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"69","author":[{"given":"Qing-Xing","family":"Qu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Fu","family":"Guo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Vincent G.","family":"Duffy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"issue":"4","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"325","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1025869312943","article-title":"Usability meanings and interpretations in ISO standards","volume":"11","year":"2003","journal-title":"Software Quality Journal"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref002","first-page":"225","article-title":"Analyzing Turkish E-government websites by eye tracking","year":"2013"},{"issue":"6","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1173","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.51.6.1173","article-title":"The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic and statistical considerations","volume":"51","year":"1986","journal-title":"Journal of Personality and Social Psychology"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref004","volume-title":"Understanding Research for Social Policy and Social Work: Themes, Methods and Approaches","year":"2012"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref005","unstructured":"Brooke, J. (1996), \u201cSUS-A quick and dirty usability scale\u201d, Usability Evaluation in Industry, Vol. 189 No. 194, pp. 4-7."},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1097-4571(198801)39:1<22::AID-ASI5>3.0.CO;2-#","article-title":"Designing the user interface, strategies for effective human-computer interaction","volume":"39","year":"1988","journal-title":"Journal of the American Society for Information Science"},{"issue":"6","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1132","DOI":"10.1108\/IMDS-01-2015-0023","article-title":"Members\u2019 satisfaction and continuance intention: a socio-technical perspective","volume":"115","year":"2015","journal-title":"Industrial Management & Data Systems"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref008","first-page":"213","article-title":"Development of an instrument measuring user satisfaction of the human-computer interface","year":"1988"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref009","first-page":"295","article-title":"The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling","volume":"295","year":"1998","journal-title":"Modern Methods for Business Research"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.14.2.189.16018","article-title":"A partial least squares latent variable modeling approach for measuring interaction effects: results from a Monte Carlo simulation study and an electronic-mail emotion\/adoption study","volume":"14","year":"2003","journal-title":"Information Systems Research"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref011","first-page":"407","article-title":"What are you looking for?: An eye-tracking study of information usage in web search","year":"2007"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"711","DOI":"10.2307\/25750702","article-title":"Affect in web interfaces: a study of the impacts of web page visual complexity and order","volume":"34","year":"2010","journal-title":"MIS Quarterly"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref013","first-page":"10","article-title":"Consistent and asymptotically normal PLS estimators for linear structural equations","volume":"81","year":"2015","journal-title":"Computational Statistics & Data Analysis"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.25300\/MISQ\/2015\/39.2.02","article-title":"Consistent partial least squares path modeling","volume":"39","year":"2015","journal-title":"MIS Quarterly"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref015","first-page":"331","volume-title":"Visual Hierarchy and Viewing Behavior: An Eye Tracking Study, Human-Computer Interaction, Design and Development Approaches","year":"2011"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref016","first-page":"525","article-title":"Designing noticeable Bricklets by tracking users\u2019 eye movements","year":"2012"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s10590-010-9070-9","article-title":"Eye tracking as an MT evaluation technique","volume":"24","year":"2010","journal-title":"Machine Translation"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref018","first-page":"129","article-title":"Cueing retrospective verbal reports in usability testing through eye-movement replay","year":"2007"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1207\/S15327590IJHC1202_6","article-title":"Increasing the usability of online information for older users: a case study in participatory design","volume":"12","year":"2000","journal-title":"International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref020","first-page":"151","article-title":"Windows to the soul? What eye movements tell us about software usability","year":"1998"},{"issue":"8","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"789","DOI":"10.1016\/j.infsof.2011.02.007","article-title":"Usability evaluation methods for the web: a systematic mapping study","volume":"53","year":"2011","journal-title":"Information and Software Technology"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref022","first-page":"24","article-title":"Eye movements of aircraft pilots during instrument-landing approaches","volume":"9","year":"1950","journal-title":"Aeronautical Engineering Review"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1177\/002224378101800104","article-title":"Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error","volume":"18","year":"1981","journal-title":"Journal of Marketing Research"},{"issue":"8","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref024","first-page":"1","article-title":"The relative importance of perceived ease of use in IS adoption: a study of e-commerce adoption","volume":"1","year":"2000","journal-title":"Journal of the Association for Information Systems"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref025","unstructured":"Goldberg, J.H. and Kotval, X.P. (1998), \u201cEye movement-based evaluation of the computer interface\u201d, in Kumar, S.K. (Ed.), Advances in Occupational Ergonomics and Safety, ISO Press, Amsterdam, pp. 529-532."},{"issue":"6","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"631","DOI":"10.1016\/S0169-8141(98)00068-7","article-title":"Computer interface evaluation using eye movements: methods and constructs","volume":"24","year":"1999","journal-title":"International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref027","volume-title":"Multivariate Data Analysis","year":"2006","edition":"6th ed."},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.1177\/1094428114526928","article-title":"Common beliefs and reality about PLS comments on R\u00f6nkk\u00f6 and Evermann (2013)","volume":"17","year":"2014","journal-title":"Organizational Research Methods"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1007\/s11747-014-0403-8","article-title":"A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling","volume":"43","year":"2015","journal-title":"Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ergon.2014.01.009","article-title":"Can pupil size be measured to assess design products?","volume":"44","year":"2014","journal-title":"International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"529","DOI":"10.1080\/00207540010005709","article-title":"Total quality management: an empirical test for mediation effect","volume":"39","year":"2001","journal-title":"International Journal of Production Research"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1016\/j.im.2007.11.001","article-title":"Acceptance of blog usage: the roles of technology acceptance, social influence and knowledge sharing motivation","volume":"45","year":"2008","journal-title":"Information & Management"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/10705519909540118","article-title":"Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives","volume":"6","year":"1999","journal-title":"Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref034","first-page":"638","article-title":"A research taxonomy for e-commerce system usability","year":"2002"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1108\/02635570910926627","article-title":"Interactions between contingency, organizational IT factors, and ERP success","volume":"109","year":"2009","journal-title":"Industrial Management & Data Systems"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Insfran, E. and Fernandez, A. (2008), \u201cA systematic review of usability evaluation in web development\u201d, International Conference on Web Information Systems Engineering, Springer, Berlin and Heidelberg, pp. 81-91.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-540-85200-1_10"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref037","volume-title":"Ergonomic Requirements for Office Work with Visual Display Terminals (VDTs)-Part 11: Guidance on Usability","author":"ISO 9241-11","year":"1998"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.6017\/ital.v24i2.3365","article-title":"What is usability in the context of the digital library and how can it be measured?","volume":"24","year":"2005","journal-title":"Information Technology and Libraries"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"441","DOI":"10.1016\/0010-0285(76)90015-3","article-title":"Eye fixations and cognitive processes","volume":"8","year":"1976","journal-title":"Cognitive Psychology"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"450","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ergon.2013.03.001","article-title":"Personality and its effects on learning performance: design guidelines for an adaptive e-learning system based on a user model","volume":"43","year":"2013","journal-title":"International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1057\/palgrave.jit.2000095","article-title":"Management of trust in the e-marketplace: the role of the buyer\u2019s experience in building trust","volume":"22","year":"2007","journal-title":"Journal of Information Technology"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref042","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"424","DOI":"10.1177\/154193129804200405","article-title":"Measuring the usability of web sites","volume":"42","year":"1998","journal-title":"Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref043","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kirakowski, J. and Corbett, M. (1993), \u201cSUMI: the software usability measurement inventory\u201d, British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol. 24 No. 3, pp. 210-212.","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-8535.1993.tb00076.x"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref044","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1080\/0144929031000107072","article-title":"Usability in online shops: scale construction, validation and the in\ufb02uence on the buyers\u2019 intention and decision","volume":"22","year":"2003","journal-title":"Behaviour & Information Technology"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref045","first-page":"486","article-title":"Eye movements and interface components grouping: an evaluation method","year":"1998"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref046","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1002\/mar.20000","article-title":"The effect of information overload on consumer choice quality in an on-line environment","volume":"21","year":"2004","journal-title":"Psychology & Marketing"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref047","first-page":"235","article-title":"Testing a walkthough methodology for theory-based design of walk-up-and-use interface","year":"1990"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref048","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1080\/10447319509526110","article-title":"IBM computer usability satisfaction questionnaires: psychometric evaluation and instructions for use","volume":"7","year":"1995","journal-title":"International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref049","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"714","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apergo.2013.09.012","article-title":"Evaluating camouflage design using eye movement data","volume":"45","year":"2014","journal-title":"Applied Ergonomics"},{"issue":"9","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref050","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1415","DOI":"10.1108\/IMDS-08-2014-0232","article-title":"Contextual factors affecting knowledge management diffusion in SMEs","volume":"114","year":"2014","journal-title":"Industrial Management & Data Systems"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref051","first-page":"364","article-title":"Evaluating usability based on multimodal information: an empirical study","year":"2006"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref052","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1057\/palgrave.ejis.3000385","article-title":"Model-based design and evaluation of interactive applications","volume":"10","year":"2001","journal-title":"European Journal of Information Systems"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref053","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1080\/10196780500491063","article-title":"Reexamining technology acceptance in online task behaviours","volume":"16","year":"2006","journal-title":"Electronic Markets"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref054","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"543","DOI":"10.1016\/S0378-7206(03)00089-2","article-title":"The conceptualization and empirical validation of web site user satisfaction","volume":"41","year":"2004","journal-title":"Information & Management"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref055","volume-title":"Usability Engineering","year":"1994"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref056","first-page":"249","article-title":"Heuristic evaluation of user interface","year":"1990"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref057","article-title":"Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) in management accounting research: critical analysis, advances, and future directions","year":"2015"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref058","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1509\/jmkg.68.2.36.27794","article-title":"Attention capture and transfer in advertising: brand, pictorial, and text-size effects","volume":"68","year":"2004","journal-title":"Journal of Marketing"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref059","unstructured":"Poole, A. and Ball, L. (2005), \u201cEye tracking in human-computer interaction and usability research: current status and future prospects\u201d, Encyclopedia of Human Computer Interaction, pp. 211-219."},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref060","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1007\/s11219-006-7600-8","article-title":"Usability measurement and metrics: a consolidated model","volume":"14","year":"2006","journal-title":"Software Quality Journal"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref061","unstructured":"Shackel, B. (1991), \u201cUsability-context, framework, design and evaluation\u201d, in Shackel, B. and Richardson, S. (Eds), Human Factors for Informatics Usability, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 21-38."},{"issue":"8","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref062","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1219","DOI":"10.1287\/mnsc.1050.0427","article-title":"A theoretical approach to web design in e-commerce: a belief reinforcement model","volume":"51","year":"2005","journal-title":"Management Science"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref063","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"283","DOI":"10.1016\/0167-8116(91)90027-5","article-title":"The use of LISREL in validating marketing constructs","volume":"8","year":"1991","journal-title":"International Journal of Research in Marketing"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref064","unstructured":"Tan, J. (2009), \u201cFOUUX-A framework for usability and user experience\u201d, MSc Thesis (MSE-2009-23), Blekinge Institute of Technology."},{"issue":"5","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref065","first-page":"47","article-title":"Eye tracking evaluation of Chinese web sites for the Chinese market","volume":"3","year":"2011","journal-title":"International Business & Economics Research Journal"},{"issue":"11","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref066","first-page":"1288","article-title":"Using eye tracking method and video record in usability test of educational softwares and gender effects","volume":"103","year":"2013","journal-title":"Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences"},{"issue":"8","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref067","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"697","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ergon.2005.02.004","article-title":"Evaluating the industrial ergonomics of service quality for online recruitment websites","volume":"35","year":"2005","journal-title":"International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics"},{"key":"key2020120617065589300_ref068","first-page":"41","article-title":"Explaining effects of eye gaze on mediated group conversations: amount or synchronization?","year":"2002"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020120617065589300_ref069","first-page":"197","article-title":"Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: myths and truths about mediation analysis","volume":"37","year":"2010","journal-title":"Journal of Consumer Research"}],"container-title":["Aslib Journal of Information Management"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/AJIM-09-2016-0155\/full\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/AJIM-09-2016-0155\/full\/html","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T23:01:13Z","timestamp":1753398073000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emerald.com\/ajim\/article\/69\/4\/370-388\/14475"}},"subtitle":["An empirical investigation from China"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,17]]},"references-count":69,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,17]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1108\/AJIM-09-2016-0155"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/ajim-09-2016-0155","relation":{},"ISSN":["2050-3806"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2050-3806","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,17]]}}}