Electrophysiological Brain Response to Error in Solving Mathematical Tasks

Abstract

Objective: to identify energy patterns in the electrophysiological bands of the brain as possible indicators of overconfidence in students when they receive feedback indicating they have erred while solving a mathematical task. Methodology: EEG were recorded from 20 subjects while they performed mathematical exercises. Energy changes in the delta and theta bands before, during, and after solving the task were analyzed. Results: when the answers to the exercises were shown, an increase of energy in the delta band was observed in participants with correct answers but a reduction in that band in those who answered incorrectly. Subjects with incorrect answers received feedback and then attempted to solve a second, similar, exercise. Subjects who answered correctly showed an increase of energy theta, while those with incorrect answers showed a decrease. Conclusions: the energy changes when subjects erred while solving a mathematical task could serve as a quantitative indicator for characterizing overconfidence.