Wertz, Kaylyn A. Measuring Brain States of Curiosity Through Electroencephalography Signals. 2023. Radford University, Thesis. Radford University Scholars' Repository.
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Abstract
Epistemic curiosity, a desire to obtain knowledge, has been consistently associated with learning, such that information that is viewed as valuable is more likely to be remembered (e.g., Gruber et al., 2014; Kang et al., 2009). Prior studies have typically measured curiosity using self-report. However, physiological indices such as EEG activity could potentially act as a more reliable method and a complement to self-report. The present study aims to determine whether an objective measure of a state of curiosity can be obtained through the use of EEG methods and, additionally, provide further support for the relationship between curiosity and learning. Participants were presented with curiosity-inducing trivia questions (Fastrich et al., 2018) and provided ratings of curiosity, confidence, and prior knowledge. The answer to each question was shown, and participants rated their levels of satisfaction with the answer and accuracy on prior knowledge. EEG data were continuously recorded throughout the task. Participants then completed a recall test on the questions they had previously seen. Metrics such as frontal brain asymmetry, relative percentages of activity in each frequency band, and the average theta/beta ratio were examined using spectral analysis. Results provide further insight into the neural and psychological correlates of a curiosity state.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology |
| Divisions: | Radford University > College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences > Department of Psychology |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Aug 2023 20:55 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Aug 2023 20:55 |
| URI: | http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/1023 |
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