Interpreting Emotions with EEG: An Experimental Study with Chromatic Variation in VR

Developing great products is not simple; users want products that can constantly adjust to their needs. The product development process should consider not only the users’ requirements and wishes but also their perceptions and emotions during and after the human-product interaction. Traditional studies have used self-report methods to study the users’ emotions; however, technological advances are making other methods able to measure respondents’ behavior. Electroencephalography (EEG), a technique for recording and interpreting the brain’s electrical activity, is becoming a valid tool to assess users’ emotional states. This study aims to explore the EEG as a method to interpret emotions. To do this, we created three different VR scenarios characterized by different interior design and automatic chromatic variations as a stimulus; this research aims to analyze if the changes in colors and scenarios reflect on the participants’ emotional responses, specifically on Valence, Arousal, and Engagement. The findings show that EEG results are a valid aid to emotion interpretation; also that color variation might influence users’ emotions and that the emotional responses were more evident when changing between scenarios. We expect this study can provide more information regarding the potential of physiological methods to explore users’ emotions during the product design and development.