The use of instrumented measurement of physiological responses in participants is called biometrics. Pyla, in The UX Book, 2012 Bio-metrics to detect physiological responses to emotional impact However, considering the ease with which we can collect this data, UX researchers should consider the opportunity. It would be bad practice to only use pupil dilation to make inferences about cognitive processes and user experience, as the story is incomplete. Therefore, caution must be made when interpreting the results of pupil dilation data.Īs with other UX research methods, it is important to combine metrics with pupil dilation. Jagdish Sheth, a marketing professor at Emory University, explains: “There no scientific way to establish whether measured interest or anxiety” ( Fong, 2012). Pupil dilation has been used to assess a number of cognitive functions, including fatigue, racial biases, and depression however, it is impossible to tell what changes in pupil size mean without considering the context in which these changes occur ( Powell & Schirillo, 2011). While round pupils seen with open ears tilted back will help you know your cat is scared of something or is feeling intimidated.It has been hypothesized that increased blinking is associated with negative feelings and on the contrary, decreases with pleasant psychological states. Thus, observing dilated pupils combined with straight ears and open forward, for example, will reflect a neutral attitude that does not allow any particular emotion to filter through. Indeed, the shape of its eyes, as well as the position of its ears, even its tail constitute a whole that you must perceive in an overall vision to have a better idea of the expressions adopted by your cat and ultimately well. In many cases, focusing only on your cat's pupils may not be enough to better decipher the signals it is sending you. Eyes and ears are a whole that are observed together If you notice the phenomenon of anisocoria in your cat, be sure to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible for a diagnosis and, if necessary, an appropriate treatment. It can also have several causes: an eye injury or a brain injury related to trauma or an accident in particular. Indeed, it is often associated with other eye diseases such as feline leukemia, glaucoma and corneal ulcer among others. The onset of anisocoria may be symptomatic of the presence of more serious disease in cats. It can be accompanied by a blue or reddish coloring in the eyes, profuse secretions or discharge and a strong tendency for your cat to scratch its eyes. One will appear visibly more dilated and round than the other. Anisocoria: Different sized pupils between the two eyesĪnisocoria describes a situation in which your cat has different sized pupils between its two eyes. In the latter case, his round eyes will make you understand that he is in a happy mood or particularly happy, when you have served him a food he loves for example. It can also reflect a positive feeling of satisfaction. Or translate the terror or fear he feels in other cases. Their round shape could indeed mean that he is stressed or anxious. In a completely different context, a connection can be made with the emotional state and the dilated pupils of your four-legged companion. It will therefore occur more frequently at night. Note that this more or less pronounced dilation is mainly intended to let enough light into the eye in low light conditions. With dilated and round pupils, your cat's eyes will appear rounder, larger and almost black. In connection this time with the mood or state of mind of your little feline, narrow pupils can also be synonymous with pleasure, anger, excitement or translate a fear, even signify an intention to attack a prey or a toy that hangs around. However, other factors may explain the narrow shape of the pupils. They will indeed contract to reduce the amount of light entering the eye when the cat is in a too bright space. It is this natural phenomenon of accommodation that can be at work when your feline presents narrow pupils or vertical slits, comparable to those of the eyes of a snake. Thus, depending on the intensity of the ambient light, its pupils will take a different shape in order to offer the cat an optimal and comfortable vision. It should be noted above all that cats have eyes that are sensitive to variations in light. Here are some meanings for each of these pupil shapes, to help you better understand and decipher the signals your little feline sends back. Indeed, depending on variations in ambient light, mood or state of health, your cat's pupils may take a narrow, dilated or asymmetric size. One of the fascinating details in the physiology of our fellow felines is the ability of their eyes to be able to naturally change shape according to various contexts.

Pupil size meaning