arXiv subjects

Michael T. Knierim

Publications and source records attributed to Michael T. Knierim.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Flow on Social Media? Rarer Than You'd Think

Researchers often attribute social media's appeal to its ability to elicit flow experiences of deep absorption and effortless engagement. Yet prolonged use has also been linked to distraction, fatigue, and lower mood. This paradox remains poorly understood, in part because prior studies rely on habitual or one-shot reports that ask participants to directly attribute flow to social media. To address this gap, we conducted a five-day field study with 40 participants, combining objective smartphone app tracking with daily reconstructions of flow-inducing activities. Across 673 reported flow occurrences, participants rarely associated flow with social media (2 percent). Instead, heavier social media use predicted fewer daily flow occurrences. We further examine this relationship through the effects of social media use on fatigue, mood, and motivation. Altogether, our findings suggest that flow and social media may not align as closely as assumed - and might even compete - underscoring the need for further research.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2025

Heatables: Effects of Infrared-LED-Induced Ear Heating on Thermal Perception, Comfort, and Cognitive Performance

Maintaining thermal comfort in shared indoor environments remains challenging, as centralized HVAC systems are slow to adapt and standardized to group norms. Cold exposure not only reduces subjective comfort but can impair cognitive performance, particularly under moderate to severe cold stress. Personal Comfort Systems (PCS) have shown promise by providing localized heating, yet many designs target distal body parts with low thermosensitivity and often lack portability. In this work, we investigate whether targeted thermal stimulation using in-ear worn devices can manipulate thermal perception and enhance thermal comfort. We present Heatables, a novel in-ear wearable that emits Near-Infrared (NIR) and Infrared (IR) radiation via integrated LEDs to deliver localized optical heating. This approach leverages NIR-IR's ability to penetrate deeper tissues, offering advantages over traditional resistive heating limited to surface warming. In a placebo-controlled study with 24 participants, each exposed for 150 minutes in a cool office environment (approximately 17.5 degrees Celsius) to simulate sustained cold stress during typical sedentary office activities, Heatables significantly increased the perceived ambient temperature by around 1.5 degrees Celsius and delayed cold discomfort. Importantly, thermal benefits extended beyond the ear region, improving both whole-body comfort and thermal acceptability. These findings position in-ear NIR-IR-LED-based stimulation as a promising modality for unobtrusive thermal comfort enhancement in everyday contexts.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2025

Exploring Flow in Real-World Knowledge Work Using Discreet cEEGrid Sensors

Flow, a state of deep task engagement, is associated with optimal experience and well-being, making its detection a prolific HCI research focus. While physiological sensors show promise for flow detection, most studies are lab-based. Furthermore, brain sensing during natural work remains unexplored due to the intrusive nature of traditional EEG setups. This study addresses this gap by using wearable, around-the-ear EEG sensors to observe flow during natural knowledge work, measuring EEG throughout an entire day. In a semi-controlled field experiment, participants engaged in academic writing or programming, with their natural flow experiences compared to those from a classic lab paradigm. Our results show that natural work tasks elicit more intense flow than artificial tasks, albeit with smaller experience contrasts. EEG results show a well-known quadratic relationship between theta power and flow across tasks, and a novel quadratic relationship between beta asymmetry and flow during complex, real-world tasks.

cs.HC↗