Impact of web accessibility on cognitive engagement in individuals without disabilities: Evidence from a psychophysiological study

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cris.lastimport.scopus2025-12-15T04:10:42Z
dc.abstract.enWeb accessibility features on websites are designed for individuals with disabilities that include low vision and cognitive impairments, but such features can benefit everyone. This study investigates the impact of accessibility features of the web on ambient/focal visual attention and cognitive processing in individuals without disabilities. The study involved 20 participants reading news websites with different levels of low vision and cognitive-related accessibility features while their eye movements and heart rate variability were monitored. The findings show that cognitive engagement declined over time when no accessibility enhancements were present. The study also demonstrates that enhancing cognitive accessibility leads to increased user cognitive engagement, while low vision accessibility features make websites easier to read. These findings are corroborated by self-reports and psychophysiological measures, such as eye-tracking metrics and heart rate variability. The effects from these psychophysiological measures, together with participants’ self-reports, support the benefits of enhancing web accessibility features for all users. The implications for future website design are also discussed.
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii w Warszawie
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.contributor.authorEkin, Merve
dc.contributor.authorKrejtz, Krzysztof
dc.contributor.authorDuarte, Carlos
dc.contributor.authorSeixas Pereira, Leticia
dc.contributor.authorMarcus-Quinn, Ann
dc.contributor.authorKrejtz, Izabela
dc.contributor.editorAgnese Sbrollini
dc.date.access2025-07-30
dc.date.accessioned2025-11-06T13:22:59Z
dc.date.available2025-11-06T13:22:59Z
dc.date.created2025-07-02
dc.date.issued2025-07-30
dc.description.abstract<jats:p>Web accessibility features on websites are designed for individuals with disabilities that include low vision and cognitive impairments, but such features can benefit everyone. This study investigates the impact of accessibility features of the web on ambient/focal visual attention and cognitive processing in individuals without disabilities. The study involved 20 participants reading news websites with different levels of low vision and cognitive-related accessibility features while their eye movements and heart rate variability were monitored. The findings show that cognitive engagement declined over time when no accessibility enhancements were present. The study also demonstrates that enhancing cognitive accessibility leads to increased user cognitive engagement, while low vision accessibility features make websites easier to read. These findings are corroborated by self-reports and psychophysiological measures, such as eye-tracking metrics and heart rate variability. The effects from these psychophysiological measures, together with participants’ self-reports, support the benefits of enhancing web accessibility features for all users. The implications for future website design are also discussed.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.grantnumberMSCA-DN 101072410
dc.description.grantnumberUID/00408/2025
dc.description.granttitleEyes for Interaction, Communication and Understanding – Eyes4ICU
dc.description.granttitlethe Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia)
dc.description.issue7
dc.description.physical1-26
dc.description.sdgQualityEducation
dc.description.sdgReducedInequalities
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume20
dc.identifier.doi10.1371/journal.pone.0328552
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/1961
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0328552
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOPEN_JOURNAL
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleImpact of web accessibility on cognitive engagement in individuals without disabilities: Evidence from a psychophysiological study
dc.title.journalPLOS One
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle