Induced Brain Waves by Binaural Beats: A Study on Numerosity

What are Brain Waves?

EEG measurements of electrical activity in brain.

Known to be indicative of certain states of mind.

Types of brain waves.

Five different types- Delta (0 – 4 Hz)- Theta (4 – 8 Hz)- Alpha (8 – 12 Hz)- Beta (12 – 26 Hz)- Gamma (26 – 80 Hz)

What are Binaural Beats?

Tones of slightly different frequency played to each ear

Shown to induce types of brain waves (Walter et al., 1981).

What are Binaural Beats?

Listening to binaural beats will induce certain brain wave patterns causing enhancement in numerosity.

Hypothesis

What is Numerosity?

the ability to guess a large number of discrete elements.

How will the experiment be conducted?

1. Test subjects exposed to random noise(dependent variable)…

Control Group(s):

How will the experiment be conducted?

2. Show series of dot images for 1.5 seconds each:

Control Group(s):

How will the experiment be conducted?

3. Subject estimates number of spots (independent variable).

Control Group(s):

How will the experiment be conducted?

Same as control, but subject will hear binaural beats instead of random noise.

Experimental Group(s):

Conclusion:Can binaural beats improve estimation?

Binaural beats induce brain wave patterns.

Certain brain wave patterns give the individual enhanced numerosity.

References

Rogers, L. J. & Walter, D. O. (1981). Methods for finding single generators, with application to auditory driving of the human EEG by complex stimuli. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 4(3), 257-265.