Cognitive style and recall of text: An EEG analysis

Abstract

Cognitive style refers to an individual's characteristic approach to processing information. One widely studied dimension is the contrast between “analytic” and “wholistic” styles. Recent studies suggest that patterns of electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha activity (8–13 Hz) during a task (e.g., Biological Psychology 51 (1999) 23), or during a resting baseline period (e.g., Learning and Individual Differences 3 (1991) 265), may be predictive of these stylistic differences, with lower alpha activity related to a more analytic style. In the present study, EEG was collected at 19 sites during eyes-open baseline, and during reading of short text passages. Forty adults (20 males) read highly structured expository text and minimally structured poetry. Lower baseline alpha activity across widely distributed sites was significantly correlated with higher recall of the expository text but was essentially uncorrelated with recall of poetry. Level of alpha during reading did not correlate with recall for either passage, suggesting that baseline periods, unconstrained by specific tasks, may provide the clearest picture of neural correlates of cognitive style.