Critical Thinking Analysis Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)

Abstract

Critical thinking which is also known as creative thinking, is a fundamental skill needed to solve any problems in our life. The behaviour of critical thinking involves reviewing the results of the application of decisions made and implementing change where possible. It also happens when someone aims to achieve the best possible outcomes in any situation. It plays an important role in innovation, development, and health. Hence, knowing someone’s critical thinking behaviour is essential to improve one’s ability. However, to have good critical thinking skill is very challenging without understanding its features and biological behaviour. To understand the critical thinking behaviour based on cognitive function and neural activities, the psychological research methods and principles from neuroscience are necessary. Thus, this study aims to analyse critical thinking behaviour in the human brain by looking on the Hemodynamic Response Function (HRF). The instrument used in this study is a functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) device, called Wearable Optical Topography (WOT-100) with 16 channels where it measured the HRF of oxy-hemoglobin (HbO) and deoxy-hemoglobin (HbR) concentration and Platform Optical Topographic Analysis Tools (POTATo) developed by HITACHI performed the pre-processing of raw data. Experimental results show that the mean concentration of HbO measured for High Scores (HS) group at right and left PFC were slightly difference with concentration value of 17.6945mol/μm and 17.3514mol/μm while for Low Scores (LS) group shows the mean concentration of HbO at left PFC was higher than right PFC with concentration value of 25.0353mol/μm and 14.2499mol/µm respectively. Hence, these results show that the LS group tend to use their left PFC during task given due to laborious decision-making process happen influences by time duration subjects answering the tasks. Therefore, these results suggest an imperative role for individual differences in their neural activation. The outcome of this study highlights the significance of individual differences and their cognitive preference and potentials in performance of functional tasks such as attention, creativity, imagery, decision making and working memory that leads to critical thinking behaviour.