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Experimental Psychology (Russia)
2025. Vol. 18, no. 4, 228–241
doi:10.17759/exppsy.2025180414
ISSN: 2072-7593 / 2311-7036 (online)

Review of mouse-tracker technology in psychological research

 
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Abstract

Objective. The review is focused on analysis of the paradigm of tracking computer mouse movements in the situation of alternative choice. This paradigm allows to detect deviations of the mouse trajectory from the movement towards the selected response, which can be interpreted as the presence of an internal conflict between responses. This approach allows us to trace the dynamics of choice hidden inside the reaction time, to detect the presence of a conflict of answers even in the situation of choosing the expected answer, as well as to identify the factors influencing the strengthening or weakening of this conflict. Results. The article presents examples of implementation of the mouse-tracking paradigm in solving various psychological problems, such as studies of social cognition, action control, studies of economic decision-making, memory, judgment bias, self-control, and describes standard experimental procedures, indicators, and software for laboratory, online testing, and mouse trajectory data processing.

General Information

Keywords: mouse movements tracking, mouse-tracker, cognitive processes’ dynamics, motor reactions

Journal rubric: Tools

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/exppsy.2025180414

Funding. The research was supported by the State Assignment, No. 0138-2025-0002.

Received 16.12.2023

Revised 11.04.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Sidorchuk, A.R., Korovkin, S.Y. (2025). Review of mouse-tracker technology in psychological research. Experimental Psychology (Russia), 18(4), 228–241. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/exppsy.2025180414

© Sidorchuk A.R., Korovkin S.Y., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Alexandra R. Sidorchuk, Researcher of the Laboratory for Cognitive Research, Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8556-0851, e-mail: alexandrasidor4uk@gmail.com

Sergey Y. Korovkin, Doctor of Psychology, Professor of Department of General Psychology, P. G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University, Head of the Laboratory of Psychology and Psychophysiology of Creativity, Institute of Psychology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Yaroslavl, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7890-4366, e-mail: korovkin_su@list.ru

Contribution of the authors

Alexandra R. Sidorchuk — ideas; annotation, writing and design of the manuscript; planning of the research; design a script for research; conducting the experiment; data collection.

Sergei Yu. Korovkin — ideas; planning of the research, application of statistical, mathematical and other methods for data analysis; data analysis; visualization of research results.

Both authors participated in the discussion of the results and approved the final text of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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