Micro emotions: Capturing the fine-grained texture of product experience

This paper introduces the concept of micro emotions: emotional responses during product use that are quickly forgotten and typically brief and low in intensity. While design research has predominantly focused on memorable emotional peaks, we argue that everyday interactions are shaped by a continuous stream of such micro emotions. Drawing on somatic marker theory, we propose that these fleeting feelings leave embodied traces that influence future behaviour and evaluation, even when the moments that triggered them are forgotten. We present the Micro-Emotion Scan (MES), a qualitative approach that combines momentary emotion capturing with retrospective reflection to document micro emotions in situ. Study 1 (N = 38) demonstrates MES through a chocolate consumption product, revealing that even simple interactions generate dozens of distinct micro emotions that point to concrete design opportunities. Study 2 evaluates the approach through 157 student research team applications across diverse everyday products, analysing 647 reflection statements to identify MES's strengths, challenges, and refinement opportunities. Together, these studies establish micro emotions as a layer of user experience that is both accessible and actionable for design innovation. For design research, the work contributes a method for accessing nuanced emotional dynamics. For design practice, it provides a concrete tool for identifying specific interaction moments as targets for improvement. • Micro emotions are brief, low-intensity feelings in everyday product use. • We introduce the Micro-Emotion Scan to capture these fleeting emotions. • Study 1 shows simple products evoke dozens of micro emotions. • Study 2 evaluates MES across 157 applications and 647 reflections. • MES reveals actionable emotional moments that guide design decisions.