A Controlled User Study on Human Perception of Web Search Latency
We conduct two controlled user studies that reveal how response latency affects the user behavior in web search. The first study examines users' sensitivity to different levels of latency as well as their perception of response time. The second study demonstrates the effects of increasing response latency on the search experience and, more specifically, on user engagement and satisfaction. As a side contribution, we also look at potential bias due to search site branding.