The effects of selection technique on target acquisition movements made with a mouse

Abstract

Research has shown that a significant amount of the time needed to acquire on-screen targets with a mouse can be spent in the selection phase. Thus we are exploring alternative modes of target selection that may reduce this time. In the present experiment, participants acquired targets of varying distance and size. Two methods for target selection were compared: (1) the standard button-select technique, (2) and a mouse-over technique, in which targets were designated when the cursor and target were superpositioned for 350 ms. Results showed that target-acquisition times were significantly shorter for the mouse-over technique, particularly at the smallest target size. There was also evidence that the effects were localized in the selection phase. Overall, the results suggest that the mouse-over technique can be an effective alternative to selelcting targets via button press. Potential applications and limitations of this procedure are discussed.