Schermgedrag

Schermgedrag is a Dutch-language term that translates roughly to screening or shielding behavior. It refers to observable actions and reactions of individuals or groups when confronted with a barrier, screen, or interface that conceals, protects, or separates. The precise meaning of the term varies with context: in sports such as fencing, it can describe how participants use shields or protective screens to block attacks and manage space; in privacy, safety, or health contexts, it describes ways people reduce exposure to information, intrusion, or risk by employing physical or digital barriers, such as privacy screens, masks, or settings that limit visibility.

In psychology and social science, schermgedrag encompasses strategies for controlling information disclosure, managing impressions, or maintaining personal boundaries. This includes behavior such as adjusting body orientation, gaze aversion, increasing distance, or partial concealment of oneself or one’s data to cope with perceived threat or uncertainty. In human-computer interaction and user experience research, the term is used to analyze how users interact with protective or restrictive interfaces—such as authentication prompts, privacy notices, or restricted content—observing how people approach, read, or bypass these barriers.

Measurement and study of schermgedrag typically rely on observational methods, video analysis, or controlled scenario studies. Researchers code proactive shielding (preemptive positioning or use of barriers) and reactive shielding (responses to intrusion or threat), sometimes integrating qualitative interviews to understand motivation. The term is most common in Dutch-language literature and is often translated as screen­ing or shielding behavior, depending on the domain. Understanding schermgedrag helps improve safety, privacy design, training, and the effectiveness of protective interfaces.