mEMA: Microinteraction based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) using a smartwatch
Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is a method of in situ data collection for assessment of behaviors, states, and contexts. Questions are prompted during everyday life using an individual's mobile device, thereby reducing recall bias and increasing validity over other self report methods such as retrospective recall. We describe a microinteraction based EMA method "micro" EMA, or mEMA) using smartwatches, where all EMA questions can be answered with a quick glance and a tap nearly as quickly as checking the time on a watch. A between subjects, 4 week pilot study was conducted where mEMA on a smartwatch (n=19) was compared with EMA on a phone (n=14) Despite an =8 times increase in the number of interruptions, mEMA had a significantly higher compliance rate, completion rate, and first prompt response rate, and mEMA was perceived as less distracting. The temporal density of data collection possible with mEMA could prove useful in ubiquitous computing studies.
UbiComp