Hiroko Sawai

A Study of Evaluating the Process of Mastering Skills Including Pause and Adjustment: Psychophysiological and Behavioral Evaluation Using the Information of Biological Signals and Subjective Scores

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early process of mastering skills including pause and adjustment to reveal skill factors in producing traditional handicrafts. The information of biological signals and subjective scores were analyzed in two experiments that were performed to evaluate psycho physiological states and behaviors in the early process of mastering skills. As the results, heart rates, time-series behaviors of elecrooculogram (EOG), and wrist activities during tasks, and subjective scores before tasks reflected the difference of the product quality in the early process of mastering skills. However, each signal had advantages and also disadvantages to measure and evaluate the skill factors depending on the movement of interest. Thus, it is important to select an appropriate measurement for the movement of interest for practical use, and it is suggested that the time-series skill factors including pause and adjustment through a brief movement can be evaluated by time-series behaviors of EOG.

Evaluation of Performance Using Electrooculogram: Performance in a Working Task Involving Periodic Eye Movements

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance based on psychophysiological states in a working task involving periodic eye movements using electrooculogram (EOG). EOG during the task were compared to electrocardiogram (ECG) and task scores during the task and subjective scores after the task. As the results, there were relationships in which the autocorrelation coefficients of time-series behaviors of EOG became larger as the task scores and the impressions of the task results became better. Furthermore, there were relationships in which the task scores and the autocorrelation coefficients of time-series behaviors of EOG became larger as RR interval and coefficients of variation of RR interval (CVRR) by ECG became smaller. Time-series behaviors of EOG became stable and sympathetic nervous activity increased according to the increase of the task scores. Thus, it was demonstrated that performance based on psychophysiological states in a working task involving periodic eye movements can be evaluated by time-series behaviors of EOG.

Psychophysiological and Behavioral Evaluation of the Process of Mastering Skills: To Select Appropriate Indices for a Target Movement

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early process of mastering skills to reveal skill factors including pause and adjustment in producing traditional handicrafts using psychophysiological and behavioral indices. The indices were measured in two experiments. Tasks that needed obtaining skill factors were performed. As the results, heart rates, time-series behaviors of elecrooculogram (EOG), and wrist activities during tasks, and subjective scores before tasks reflected the difference of the product quality in the early process of mastering skills. From the series of studies, skill factors could be evaluated quantitatively using different indices appropriate for the target movement. Therefore, it is important to select appropriate indices for a target movement in practical use. To reveal skill factors quantitatively can support to archive and inherit the skills for producing traditional handicrafts .

Evaluating Optimal Arousal Level during the Task Based on Performance and Positive Mood: Extracting Indices Reflecting the Relationship among Arousal, Performance, and Mood

The purpose of this study is to reveal indices which reflect the relationship among optimal arousal level, performance and positive mood during a working task. The arousal level based on both of performance and positive mood is evaluated. As a working task, working memory tasks of two difficulties are performed. Performance and psychophysiological states before, during and after the task are measured using task scores, biological signals, and subjective scores. The data of each index is analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. It is shown that indices such as skin conductance, RR interval of electrocardiogram, and alpha power in the occipital area reflect arousal level which has relationships with performance or positive mood. On the other hand, more appropriate arousal level for positive mood is different between tension and physiological alertness. Thus, it is revealed that optimal arousal level influenced by tension and physiological alertness cannot be evaluated by one index. However, the prediction accuracy of each linear regression model is low. Therefore, it is led that further investigation using task difficulties in a wide range is needed.

Experimental Study of Impression and Psychophysiological Evaluation in the Identification of Design: Focus on the Difference in the Expression of Illustrations

The purpose of this experimental study is to elucidate how is the expression of illustrations giving a positive impression from the viewpoints of impression evaluation and psychophysiological indices. The experiment is carried out to explore the relationship between impression evaluation and psychophysiological indices obtained from biological signals. We analyze the latency and amplitude of EEG event-related potential P300 and N170 when we show the three different illustrations which are the cat having realistic eyes, the cat having simplified eyes and the cat having eyes of intermediate expression. In addition, we also analyze them when we show other three different illustrations which are the cat having a clear outline, the cat having no outline and the cat having an ambiguous outline. In both experiment, we use not only cat illustrations but also tiger illustrations. As a result, it suggests there is a correlation between part of impression evaluation and the latency and amplitude of EEG event-related potential. The expression to create a positive impression is different depending on whether cats or tigers. This study shows that differences in expression might lead a positive impression and we should need to select the expression of illustrations depending on the subject of the illustration.