Applying Functional Near Infrared (fNIR) Spectroscopy to Enhance MIS Research

Abstract

This review paper introduces the emerging technology of optical brain imaging, also known as functional near infrared (fNIR) spectroscopy, and discusses its potential role in enhancing theory and methodology used in MIS research. We discuss basic fNIR principles including the technique's safe and portable nature, which allows ambulatory brain activity assessment in real world environments. We then touch on the neural correlates that fNIR measures, and the cortical oxygenation changes in the dorsal and anterior regions of the prefrontal cortex. We compare fNIR with traditional neuroimaging methods such as fMRI and PET. We also list case studies, future directions, and potential approaches relevant to MIS. fNIR may be used to inform theory and improve assessments in MIS-based studies, including informing theory, by identifying neural correlates, studying constructs that could not easily if at all be measured with traditional methods, applying objective constructs that subjects are unaware of, and designing better surveys.

Advancing a NeuroIS research agenda with four areas of societal contributions

“…Special issues on NeuroIS have been published in leading journals in the field, including the Journal of the Association for Information Systems (JAIS) and the Journal of Management Information Systems (JMIS). Highly cited papers on how to conduct NeuroIS studies have been published: including articles on NeuroIS methods (Dimoka, 2012;Dumont, El Mouderrib, Théoret, Sénécal, & Léger, 2018;Gefen, Hasan, & Onaral, 2014;Hubert et al, 2017;Müller-Putz, Riedl, & Wriessnegger, 2015;Riedl, Davis, & Hevner, 2014;vom Brocke & Liang, 2014); new analysis techniques specifically designed for IS research Léger et al, 2014); and a plethora of studies on IS phenomena that apply neuroscience theory, methods, and tools (for a review see Riedl, Fischer, & Léger, 2017).…”

Robust User Identification Based on Facial Action Units Unaffected by Users' Emotions

“…(2) Acceptability: In addition, the acceptability of the camera-based proposed identification method is high since it is easy to use, cost efficient, non-invasive and contactfree, whereas other physiological/biometric data from electrodermal activity, heart-rate, electroencephalography, fa-cial electromyography, functional near infrared spectroscopy cannot be captured by contact-free methods, and functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography or magnetoencephalography are very cost-expensive [30,31].…”

Real-time Prediction of User Performance based on Pupillary Assessment via Eye-Tracking

“…Our eye tracking-based approach is cost efficient, non-invasive and contact free, whereas EDA, HR, EEG, fEMG, fNIR are not contact-free measurements, and fMRI, PET, and MEG come with significant costs (Dimoka et al, 2012;Gefen, Hasan, & Banu, 2014).…”