Novelty Effect

A research-methodology concept describing the tendency for users to behave differently with a new technology simply because it is new, rather than because of its enduring value. Novelty effects inflate short-term engagement, enthusiasm, and usage, then fade as the technology becomes familiar. In accessibility research the novelty effect has particular consequences: single-session studies of assistive tools (image-description apps, guide robots, screen-reader features) may over-report benefits that disappear once the technology becomes part of daily routine, and conversely may under-report benefits that only emerge once users build interpretive skill with the device. Longitudinal and repeated-exposure studies are the established antidote; they let researchers distinguish initial curiosity-driven behaviour from stable, context-sensitive adoption.