Measuring Correlates of Mental Workload During Simulated Driving Using cEEGrid Electrodes: A Test–Retest Reliability Analysis
The EEG reflects mental processes, especially modulations in the alpha and theta frequency bands are associated with attention and the allocation of mental resources. EEG has also been used to study mental processes while driving, both in real environments and in virtual reality. However, convention...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroergonomics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnrgo.2021.729197/full |
| _version_ | 1819129418994417664 |
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| author | Stephan Getzmann Julian E. Reiser Melanie Karthaus Georg Rudinger Edmund Wascher |
| author_facet | Stephan Getzmann Julian E. Reiser Melanie Karthaus Georg Rudinger Edmund Wascher |
| author_sort | Stephan Getzmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The EEG reflects mental processes, especially modulations in the alpha and theta frequency bands are associated with attention and the allocation of mental resources. EEG has also been used to study mental processes while driving, both in real environments and in virtual reality. However, conventional EEG methods are of limited use outside of controlled laboratory settings. While modern EEG technologies offer hardly any restrictions for the user, they often still have limitations in measurement reliability. We recently showed that low-density EEG methods using film-based round the ear electrodes (cEEGrids) are well-suited to map mental processes while driving a car in a driving simulator. In the present follow-up study, we explored aspects of ecological and internal validity of the cEEGrid measurements. We analyzed longitudinal data of 127 adults, who drove the same driving course in a virtual environment twice at intervals of 12–15 months while the EEG was recorded. Modulations in the alpha and theta frequency bands as well as within behavioral parameters (driving speed and steering wheel angular velocity) which were highly consistent over the two measurement time points were found to reflect the complexity of the driving task. At the intraindividual level, small to moderate (albeit significant) correlations were observed in about 2/3 of the participants, while other participants showed significant deviations between the two measurements. Thus, the test-retest reliability at the intra-individual level was rather low and challenges the value of the application for diagnostic purposes. However, across all participants the reliability and ecological validity of cEEGrid electrodes were satisfactory in the context of driving-related parameters. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T08:43:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a26bfc340e44453baca3bae757e6c4e4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-6195 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T08:43:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neuroergonomics |
| spelling | doaj.art-a26bfc340e44453baca3bae757e6c4e42022-12-21T18:32:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroergonomics2673-61952021-09-01210.3389/fnrgo.2021.729197729197Measuring Correlates of Mental Workload During Simulated Driving Using cEEGrid Electrodes: A Test–Retest Reliability AnalysisStephan Getzmann0Julian E. Reiser1Melanie Karthaus2Georg Rudinger3Edmund Wascher4IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, GermanyIfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, GermanyIfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, GermanyUzbonn - Society for Empirical Social Research and Evaluation, Bonn, GermanyIfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, GermanyThe EEG reflects mental processes, especially modulations in the alpha and theta frequency bands are associated with attention and the allocation of mental resources. EEG has also been used to study mental processes while driving, both in real environments and in virtual reality. However, conventional EEG methods are of limited use outside of controlled laboratory settings. While modern EEG technologies offer hardly any restrictions for the user, they often still have limitations in measurement reliability. We recently showed that low-density EEG methods using film-based round the ear electrodes (cEEGrids) are well-suited to map mental processes while driving a car in a driving simulator. In the present follow-up study, we explored aspects of ecological and internal validity of the cEEGrid measurements. We analyzed longitudinal data of 127 adults, who drove the same driving course in a virtual environment twice at intervals of 12–15 months while the EEG was recorded. Modulations in the alpha and theta frequency bands as well as within behavioral parameters (driving speed and steering wheel angular velocity) which were highly consistent over the two measurement time points were found to reflect the complexity of the driving task. At the intraindividual level, small to moderate (albeit significant) correlations were observed in about 2/3 of the participants, while other participants showed significant deviations between the two measurements. Thus, the test-retest reliability at the intra-individual level was rather low and challenges the value of the application for diagnostic purposes. However, across all participants the reliability and ecological validity of cEEGrid electrodes were satisfactory in the context of driving-related parameters.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnrgo.2021.729197/fullEEGdrivingmental work loadcEEGridstest-retest reliability |
| spellingShingle | Stephan Getzmann Julian E. Reiser Melanie Karthaus Georg Rudinger Edmund Wascher Measuring Correlates of Mental Workload During Simulated Driving Using cEEGrid Electrodes: A Test–Retest Reliability Analysis Frontiers in Neuroergonomics EEG driving mental work load cEEGrids test-retest reliability |
| title | Measuring Correlates of Mental Workload During Simulated Driving Using cEEGrid Electrodes: A Test–Retest Reliability Analysis |
| title_full | Measuring Correlates of Mental Workload During Simulated Driving Using cEEGrid Electrodes: A Test–Retest Reliability Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Measuring Correlates of Mental Workload During Simulated Driving Using cEEGrid Electrodes: A Test–Retest Reliability Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring Correlates of Mental Workload During Simulated Driving Using cEEGrid Electrodes: A Test–Retest Reliability Analysis |
| title_short | Measuring Correlates of Mental Workload During Simulated Driving Using cEEGrid Electrodes: A Test–Retest Reliability Analysis |
| title_sort | measuring correlates of mental workload during simulated driving using ceegrid electrodes a test retest reliability analysis |
| topic | EEG driving mental work load cEEGrids test-retest reliability |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnrgo.2021.729197/full |
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