Databases’ interface interactivity and user self-efficacy: Two mediators for flow experience and scientific behavior improvement

• It seems that our proposed model is a new way for studying scientific behaviors.
• Users can refine their attitude and behavior as a result of the process of Human Computer Interaction.
• Flow experience acts as a mediator between user interface interaction and scientific behavior in database environment.
• Self-efficient users are likely to sense more interactivity, and regulate their scientific behavior in interface.

Testing the influence of user interface interactivity (UII) in databases on scientific behaviors (SB) and investigating the flow experience (FE) as mediator between UII and SB, as well as the role of self-efficacy (SE) as an interferer were the aims of this research. 366 Faculty members and Ph.D. students participated as scholars to complete a questionnaire. We made a SB questionnaire through a comparative review of the related literature on FE, UII and SE. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. We found that the more self-efficient participants, the more they experience UII and SB changes/adaptations. Also, we found those participants who experienced more flow, had more chance to experience SB changes and adaptations in UII environments.