University of Twente Student Theses
Neurophysiological Activity and Problem-Solving : To what extent is Frontal Midline Theta modulated by Task Difficulty?
Pradal, R. (2025) Neurophysiological Activity and Problem-Solving : To what extent is Frontal Midline Theta modulated by Task Difficulty?
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| Abstract: | Frontal midline theta rhythm (FMθ) has been widely studied as an indicator of working memory (WM) load and cognitive effort. The present study investigates the extent to which FMθ is modulated by task difficulty in a problem-solving context, specifically during nonverbal syllogism tasks. A response-locked analysis was conducted on an existing dataset, in which participants evaluated tasks of three different difficulty levels. FMθ activity of Fz, F1, and F2. across lower, middle, and upper theta bands was analysed. The results partially replicated previous findings, showing a consistent effect of the difficulty manipulation on FMθ values. However, a decrease in FMθ was observed when transitioning from medium to hard difficulty, showing that the direction of the effect observed goes against the predicted modulation effect. The design choice of hiding the conclusion before allowing the participants to answer suggests a possible overburdening of WM’s capacity. This would lead participants to give up on the task and guess the answer, justifying the unexpected decrease in FMθ at the higher difficulty level. Alternative explanations also include the theta paradox, which argues that FMθ oscillations may reflect both cognitive effort and inhibitory processes. This theory offers a different perspective on FMθ by suggesting that this pattern is indicative of another cognitive process rather than just WM load. These findings contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding the interpretations of the relationship between WM load and FMθ activation |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/105244 |
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