Neuroergonomics: Quantitative Modeling of Individual, Shared, and Team Neurodynamic Information

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Team Dynamics

Background:

• Team processes are challenging to quantify separately from individual contributions.
• Existing measures lack the ability to assess both individual and team-level neurodynamics simultaneously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a unified quantitative measure for comparing individual and team neurodynamic organization.
• To differentiate between individual, shared, and overall team neurodynamic information.

Main Methods:

• Generated second-by-second symbolic representations of electroencephalographic (EEG) power for each team member.
• Calculated neurodynamic organizations using Shannon entropy of symbolic data streams.
• Separated neurodynamic information into individual, shared, and team components across diverse dyads (healthcare, submarine navigation, problem-solving).

Main Results:

• The majority of team neurodynamic information was the aggregate of individual neurodynamic information.
• Shared neurodynamic information among team members averaged approximately 15% of individual information, with significant momentary fluctuations.
• Demonstrated variability in shared information, ranging from 1% to 80%.

Conclusions:

• Developed a generalizable quantitative method using information models to dissect team neurodynamics.
• Enabled continuous estimation of individual contributions and interdependencies within a team's neurodynamic organization.
• Highlighted the potential for understanding team collaboration through neurodynamic analysis.