METHOD TO DETERMINE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF ENTERTAINMENT OR INDIVIDUAL PRESENTERS

• US 20100092934A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Neuro-Insight Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Neuro-Insight Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Silberstein, Richard Bernard
• Application Number:
  US12/520,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20100092934A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/236
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/245 specially adapted for magnetoencephalographic [MEG] signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses

Abstract

A method for determining the psychological impact of entertainment material having at least first and later episodes, the method including the steps of: (a) presenting a first episode to a target group of subjects, (b) after a predetermined period of time, presenting the later episode to the target group of subjects; (c) determining brain activities of the target group of subjects whilst the later episode is being presented to the target group of subjects; and (d) evaluating the psychological impact of the entertainment material by reference to the levels of brain activities determined in step (c). The method of presenting material and determining brain activities also being used for determining the suitability of an actor from a group of actors or selecting a person from a group of persons for a public role.

Claims

1. A method for determining the psychological impact of entertainment material having at least first and later episodes, the method including the steps of:

(a) presenting a first episode to a target group of subjects;

(b) after a predetermined period of time, presenting the later episode to the target group of subjects;

(c) determining brain activities of the target group of subjects whilst the later episode is being presented to the target group of subjects; and

(d) evaluating the psychological impact of the entertainment material by reference to the levels of brain activities determined in step (c).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein step (e) includes the step of averaging the brain activities determined in step (c).

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein step (a) includes presenting first and second episodes to the target group of subjects.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the episodes of the entertainment material are in the form of animatics or story boards.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

step (c) includes presenting the later episode or episodes as segments in an audiovisual presentation;

after each segment, presenting reference material to the target group of subjects;

determining reference levels of brain activities whilst the reference material is presented to the target group of subjects; and

removing the effect of long-term changes in brain activities by subtracting the reference levels of brain activities from the levels of brain activity determined in step (c).

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the reference material includes a sequence of still images.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein step (b) is carried out by displaying the later episode on a video screen.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein step (c) is carried out by determining gamma or high frequency EEG or MEG activity.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein step (c) is carried out by detecting EEG or MEG activity in the frequency range 8 to 13 Hz.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein step (c) is carried out by assessment of the phase of steady state visually evoked potentials (SSVEP) in EEG signals obtained from the target group of subjects or by assessment of steady state visually evoked responses (SSVER) in MEG signals obtained from the target group of subjects.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein step (c) includes the steps of placing electrodes at scalp sites to obtain output EEG signals which enable assessment of:

engagement with the entertainment material;

attraction-repulsion of the entertainment material;

long term memory encoding associated with the entertainment material; and

/or

emotional intensity associated with the entertainment material.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 including the step of applying a sinusoidally varying visual flicker stimulus to each subject during step (c) to thereby enable calculation of Fourier coefficients from said output signals to thereby enable calculation of said SSVEP amplitudes and/or phase differences.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said SSVEP amplitude and phase are calculated by the equations:

${\mathrm{SSVEP}}_{\mathrm{amplitude}}=\sqrt{\left(A_n^2+B_n^2\right)}$ ${\mathrm{SSVEP}}_{\mathrm{phase}}=a<br><br><br><br>\tan <br><br>\left(\frac{B_n}{A_n}\right)<br><br>$

where;

a_n and b_n are cosine and sine Fourier coefficients calculated by the equations;

$a_n=\frac{1}{S<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\tau <br><br>}}<br><br>\underset{i=0}{\overset{S-1}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>f<br><br>\left(\mathrm{nT}+i<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\tau <br><br>}\right)<br><br>\cos <br><br>\left(\frac{2<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\pi <br><br>}}{T}<br><br>\left(\mathrm{nT}+i<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\tau <br><br>}\right)\right)$ $b_n=\frac{1}{S<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\tau <br><br>}}<br><br>\underset{i=0}{\overset{S-1}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>f<br><br>\left(\mathrm{nT}+i<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\tau <br><br>}\right)<br><br>\sin <br><br>\left(\frac{2<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\pi <br><br>}}{T}<br><br>\left(\mathrm{nT}+i<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\Delta <br><br>}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{\tau <br><br>}\right)\right)$

where;

a_n and b_n are the cosine and sine Fourier coefficients respectively where;

n represents the nth flicker stimulus cycle;

S is the number of samples per flicker stimulus cycle;

Δ

τ

is the time interval between samples;

T is the period of one cycle;

f(nT+iΔ

τ

) is the EEG signal (raw or pre-processed using ICA) obtained from said predetermined scalp sites;

and wherein A_n and B_n are overlapping smoothed Fourier coefficients calculated by using the equation;

$A_n=\underset{i=1}{\overset{i=N}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>a_{n+i}/N$ $B_n=\underset{i=1}{\overset{i=N}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>b_{n+i}/N$

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 including the steps of:

obtaining EEG signals from a plurality of scalp sites of each subject; and

utilising inverse mapping techniques such as BESA, EMSA or LORETA to produce modified EEG signals which represent activity in deeper regions of the brain of each subject such as the orbito-frontal cortex or the ventro-medial cortex.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 including the step of averaging the Fourier coefficients A_n and B_n for a selected group of the target subjects and then calculating the SSVEP amplitudes and SSVEP phase differences for said group of subjects.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the flicker signal is applied only to the peripheral vision of each subject.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 including the steps of directing the flicker signal towards the eyes of each subject via first and second screens and wherein each screen includes an opaque area, and wherein the method further includes the step of positioning the screens to the relative position of each subject such that said opaque areas prevent said flicker signal impinging on the fovea of each eye of each subject.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the opacity of each screen decreases as a function of distance from its opaque area so that the intensity of the flicker signal impinging on each retina of each subject decreases in value from the central vision to the peripheral vision.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 including the step of applying a masking pattern to each screen to define the opacity thereof, the method including the step of applying the pattern in accordance with a masking pattern function which provides zero or low gradients for changes in opacity adjacent to its opaque area and peripheral areas thereof which define parts of the flicker signal impinging on the peripheral vision of each subject.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the opaque area of each screen is circular and wherein the masking pattern function is selected to be a Gaussian function, so that the opacity P of the screen is defined by the equation:

P=e<sup>−

(r−

R2/G2</sup>

where;

r is the radial distance from the centre of the opaque area; and

G is a parameter that determines the rate of fall-off of opacity with radial distance, and wherein when r<

R, P=1.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein G has a value in the range R/4 and 2R.

22. A method as claimed in claim 13 including the step of applying an electrode to the scalp of each subject at a site which is approximately equidistant from sites O₂, P₄ and T₆, calculating SSVEP amplitudes and phase differences from EEG signals from said electrode whereby the output signals indicate each subject'"'"'s emotional intensity associated with the entertainment material or selected actors.

23. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of utilising inverse mapping determines brain activity in the right cerebral cortex in the vicinity of the right parieto-temporal junction whereby the output signals indicate each subject'"'"'s emotional intensity associated with the entertainment material or selected actors.

24. A method as claimed in claim 13 including the steps of applying an electrode to the scalp of each subject at the F₃, F₄, F_p1 and F_p2 sites, calculating SSVEP amplitudes and phase differences from EEG signals from said electrodes, calculating values for attraction-repulsion using the equation:

attraction=(a₁*SSVEP phase advance at electrode F₃+a₂*SSVEP phase advance at electrode F_p1−

a₃*SSVEP phase advance at electrode F₄−

a₄*SSVEP phase advance at electrode F_p2)

where a₁=a₂=a₃=a₄=1.0

whereby said values indicate each subject'"'"'s like-dislike towards the entertainment material or selected actors.

25. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of utilising inverse mapping determines brain activity in:

the right orbito-frontal cortex in the vicinity of Brodman area 11;

the right dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex in the vicinity of Brodman area 9;

the left orbito frontal cortex in the vicinity of Brodman area 11; and

the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex in the vicinity of Brodman area 9; and

calculating a value for attraction-repulsion using the equation;

attraction=(c₁*right orbito-frontal cortex (in vicinity of Brodman area

     11)+c₂*right dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (in vicinity of Brodman area

     9)+c₃*left orbito frontal cortex (in vicinity of Brodman area

     11)+c₄*left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (vicinity of Brodman area

     9))

where c₁=1, c₂=1, c₃=1, c₄=1,

whereby said values indicate each subject'"'"'s like-dislike towards the entertainment material or selected actors.

26. A method as claimed in claim 13 including the steps of applying electrodes to the scalp of each subject at F₃, F₄, P_p1 and F_p2 sites, calculating SSVEP amplitudes and phase differences from said electrodes, calculating values for engagement in features of the advertisement by a weighted mean SSVEP phase advance at said sites using the equation:

engagement=(b₁*SSVEP phase advance at electrode F₃+b₂*SSVEP phase advance at electrode P_p1+b₃*SSVEP phase advance at electrode F₄+b₄*SSVEP phase advance at Electrode F_p2)

where b₁=0.1, b₂=0.4, b₃=0.1, b₄=0.4,

whereby said values indicate each subject'"'"'s engagement in the entertainment material or selected actors.

27. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of utilising inverse mapping determines brain activity in:

the right orbito frontal cortex in the vicinity of Brodman area 11;

the right dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex in the vicinity of Brodman area 9;

the left frontal cortex in the vicinity of Brodman area 11; and

the left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex in the vicinity of Brodman area 9,

calculating SSVEP amplitudes and phase differences from said modified EEG signals from said electrodes; and

calculating a value for engagement using the equation;

engagement=(d₁*right orbito frontal cortex (in vicinity of Brodman area

     11)+d₂*right dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (in vicinity of Brodman area

     9)+d₃*left orbito frontal cortex (in vicinity of Brodman area

     11)+d₄*left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (in vicinity of Brodman area

     9))

where d₁=0.1, d₂=0.4, d₃=0.1, d₄=0.4,

whereby said values indicate each subject'"'"'s engagement in the entertainment material or selected actors.

28. A method for determining the suitability of an actor from a group of actors for a role in entertainment material including the steps of:

(a) causing each of actors to separately perform by reading the same script or acting the same role;

(b) presenting each of the actor'"'"'s performances in step (a) to a test audience;

(c) determining brain activities of the test audience separately for each of the performances; and

(d) determining the suitability of the actors for the role by reference to the brain activities determined in step (c).

29. A method of determining the selecting of a person from a group of persons for a public role, the method including the steps of:

(a) causing each person to separately make a presentation which is associated with the public role;

(b) presenting the each of the presentations of step (a) to a test audience;

(c) determining brain activities of the test audience separately for each of the persons; and

(d) selecting a person for the role by deference to the brain activities determined in step (c).

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein step (c) includes the steps of placing electrodes at scalp sites of the test audience to obtain EEG signals which enable assessment of:

engagement;

attraction-repulsion (like-dislike); and

/or

emotional intensity.

31. A method of evaluating actors performing in entertainment material, the method including the steps of:

(a) presenting the entertainment material in which one or more actors perform to an audience;

(b) determining brain activities of the audience during presentation of the entertainment material in step (a);

(c) averaging brain activity levels separately for each of the actors when they appear in the entertainment material; and

(d) evaluating the psychological impact of each of the actors by reference to the separate brain activities determined in step (c).

32. A method as claimed in claim 31 wherein step (b) includes the steps of placing electrodes at scalp sites to obtain EEG signals which enable assessment of:

engagement;

attraction-repulsion (like-dislike);

memory for detail and verbal features;

memory for non-verbal features and emotion; and

/or emotional intensity.

33. A system for determining the psychological impact of entertainment material having at least first and later episodes, the system including:

(a) display means for displaying a later episode of the entertainment material to a target group of subjects who have earlier viewed the first episode of the entertainment material;

(b) determining means for determining brain activities of the target group of subjects whilst the later episode is being presented to the target group of subjects; and

(c) evaluating means for evaluating the psychological impact of the entertainment material by reference to the levels of brain activity determined by said determining means.