Stress in Action: Advancing the Science of Stress by Moving the Lab to Daily Life
Type of research: mixed-method
Description:
Would you like to learn more about stress and the ways to measure it? As part of the Stress in Action project (see stress-in-action.nl for more information), you will contribute to a toolkit of a valid and reliable stress measurement in daily life. Currently, our focus is placed on validating wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches). To this end, we are creating two distinct validation protocols: (1) one where Virtual reality (VR) will be used to create controlled stressful conditions, enabling the comparison of physiological stress data between a wearable and a gold-standard reference device, and (2) an ambulatory one where wearable devices will be worn freely in daily life for at least two weeks. Next to the physiological signals, we will also record self-reported stress levels (both momentary and chronic) and will focus on usability of the devices. There is therefore a lot of freedom for potential explorations within a scope of a thesis project. For example, your thesis could focus on one of the following areas:
- The relationship between self-reported stress levels during the different phases of the VR experience and physiological responses measured by wearable devices.
- The association between daily-life, chronic stress levels and physiological stress reactivity during the VR task.
- The usability and data quality of wearable devices worn during daily life for one week post-VR, focusing on signal reliability, data loss, and participant feedback.
If you’re interested in stress research, wearables, or virtual reality, this project will be a good fit for you. Join us in this exciting exploration and contribute to a better understanding of the stress response and its measurement.