Emotion-Aware Interface Adaptation in Mobile Applications Based on Color Psychology and Multimodal User State Recognition

Abstract

Mobile applications that center on content discovery and lifestyle sharing increasingly involve emotionally influenced user behavior. This study examines how interface visuals can be adjusted in response to users’ emotional states, with a focus on visual tone adaptation guided by color psychology. A prototype system was developed that classifies emotional states using facial cues, voice characteristics, and interaction behavior, and then modifies the interface’s background colors, content framing and accent elements to reflect the detected affect. The system was evaluated through a controlled within-subject user study, in which 36 participants interacted with three interface versions reflecting distinct emotional tones: Happy, Sad, and Angry. Participants’ satisfaction, emotional alignment, and interaction behavior were measured during short usage sessions. Interfaces designed to match positive or low-arousal emotional states were generally associated with higher satisfaction scores and more sustained engagement. In contrast, interfaces that reflected high-arousal negative affect, while consistent with users’ moods, often led to shorter sessions and reduced interaction.

The results indicate that emotionally tuned interface visuals can influence both perception and behavior during mobile interaction. Matching interface tone to user mood may improve comfort and alignment, but care is needed when responding to negative affect to avoid reinforcing disengagement. The findings contribute to ongoing work in interface design by showing how affect-sensitive styling, even when applied to basic visual properties, can support more emotionally coherent interaction.