TY - GEN
T1 - Comparing Programming Language Comprehension between Novice and Expert Programmers Using EEG Analysis
AU - Lee, Seolhwa
AU - Matteson, Andrew
AU - Hooshyar, Danial
AU - Kim, Songhyun
AU - Jung, Jaebum
AU - Nam, Gichun
AU - Lim, Heuiseok
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 IEEE.
PY - 2016/12/16
Y1 - 2016/12/16
N2 - For programming language comprehension, high cognitive skills (e.g., reading, writing, working memory, etc.) and information processing are required. However, there are few papers that approach this from a neuroscientific perspective. In this paper, we examine program comprehension neuroscientifically and also observe the differences between novice and expert programmers. We designed an EEG (electroencephalogram) experiment and observed 18 participants during a series of program comprehension tasks. We found clear differences in program comprehension ability between novice and expert programmers. Experts exhibited higher brainwave activation than novices in electrodes F3 and P8. These results indicate that experts have outstanding program comprehension-Associated abilities such as digit encoding, coarse coding, short-Term memory, and subsequent memory effect. Our findings can serve as a foundation for future research in this pioneering field.
AB - For programming language comprehension, high cognitive skills (e.g., reading, writing, working memory, etc.) and information processing are required. However, there are few papers that approach this from a neuroscientific perspective. In this paper, we examine program comprehension neuroscientifically and also observe the differences between novice and expert programmers. We designed an EEG (electroencephalogram) experiment and observed 18 participants during a series of program comprehension tasks. We found clear differences in program comprehension ability between novice and expert programmers. Experts exhibited higher brainwave activation than novices in electrodes F3 and P8. These results indicate that experts have outstanding program comprehension-Associated abilities such as digit encoding, coarse coding, short-Term memory, and subsequent memory effect. Our findings can serve as a foundation for future research in this pioneering field.
KW - Electroencephalogram
KW - Empirical study
KW - Human factors
KW - Neuroscientific
KW - Program comprehension
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85011028487&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/BIBE.2016.30
DO - 10.1109/BIBE.2016.30
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85011028487
T3 - Proceedings - 2016 IEEE 16th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering, BIBE 2016
SP - 350
EP - 355
BT - Proceedings - 2016 IEEE 16th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering, BIBE 2016
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 16th IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering, BIBE 2016
Y2 - 31 October 2016 through 2 November 2016
ER -
