DON’T STOP ME NOW (OR ACTUALLY DO) : Mikrofriktion och upplevd agens i oändliga skrollflöden.

Sammanfattning

Infinite scroll feeds are a dominant pattern in modern digital platforms and are typically designed to maximize engagement through frictionless interaction. Such designs can reduce users’ perceived agency by encouraging passive and automated behavior. This study explores how micro-friction in an infinite, image-based scroll feed influences users’ perceived agency in the moment of interaction. The study uses a research-through-design approach, combining a platform analysis, four interactive prototypes implementing different micro-friction strategies, and user testing through think-aloud sessions and interviews. The results were analyzedthematically with focus on intention and control as the central components of agency and shows that micro-friction does not consistently increase perceived agency: its effect depends on intensity, transparency, and alignment with users’ intentions. Furthermore, the study concludes how micro-friction as a design element can shape and support perceived agency in scroll-based interactions by disrupting mindless consumption.