Explaining the Applicability of the Stimuli-Organism-Response (SOR) Framework in UX Processes for Static and Dynamic Contexts

The implementation of the Stimuli-Organism-Response (SOR) framework introduced by Mehrabian and Russell in 1974 is described in this paper. The framework as an environmental psychology framework specifies that the organism of a person who interacts with a specified external object is influenced by specified external environmental factors. These factors make the individual to respond in some particular way by either accepting or avoiding the objects. With respect to user experience (UX), the external interactive objects are any interactive artifact which a user interacts with in certain specified context. The external environmental factors are design factors or quality attributes that impact or activate (arouse) the user’s organism. The organism is the user’s being that is influenced by external stimulating factors. The influenced organism responds by either approaching the object (interactive application) in delight; satisfaction and pleasure or avoiding the interactive product in disgust, frustration, and pain. Notwithstanding the benefit of this framework, the application is rarely employed in the context of UX. This study seeks to flag off awareness on how applicable the framework is to UX research.