The usability of multiple devices for an ecological assessment in psychological research: Salience of reasons underlying usability

Focusing on an online survey in psychological research, we evaluated the usability of the device chosen to complete the survey and examined underly-ing reasons through a usability enquiry method. The participants were 149 undergraduate students who completed a questionnaire for assessing achievement emotions and motivation, with open-ended and closed-ended questions. They also evaluated the usability of the device chosen to com-plete the survey and reported underlying reasons. We analyzed the data with Generalized Linear Mixed Models. The devices chosen to complete the sur-vey were perceived as highly usable, even if usability was lower for smartphones compared to other devices such as personal computers, note-books, and tablets. The most relevant reasons regarded characteristics of the tools, followed by those of the tasks and then of users and environments. The findings are discussed taking into account their theoretical and applied relevance for monitoring and improving online psychological assessment.