مقایسه موج تتا در مراحل مختلف جست وجوی وبی:مقیاسی برای توجه پیوسته

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Torabi, Mahsa and Mirzabeigi, Mahdieh and Abbaspour, Javad and Hadianfard, Habib and Moshfeghi, Yashar (2025) مقایسه موج تتا در مراحل مختلف جست وجوی وبی:مقیاسی برای توجه پیوسته. Iranian Journal of Information Processing and Management, 40 (3). pp. 757-793. ISSN 2251-8231 (https://doi.org/10.22034/jipm.2024.2032612.1663)

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Abstract

Web search, as a primary tool for accessing a vast amount of data, plays a crucial role in information retrieval. This study aims to compare the level of sustained attention across different stages of web searching. This research is foundational in its purpose and employs a quasi-experimental method for collecting quantitative data. The research sample consisted of 12 graduate students from Shiraz University, selected using a purposive sampling method. This approach was chosen because graduate students typically engage in more search activities due to their research requirements. Initially, G-Power software estimated that a sample size of 12 participants would suffice; however, to ensure reliability, data were gathered from 14 participants. The main variable of the study was the level of sustained attention, which was measured by recording theta wave activity using a 21-electrode electroencephalography (EEG) device. For data preprocessing and analysis, the MNE library in Python was utilised. The preprocessed data were organised according to time intervals participants spent on each web search stage: reading the question, formulating the search query, reviewing the search engine results page, and judging relevance. Ultimately, the relative power of the theta wave was calculated as an indicator of sustained attention for each stage and was compared across different stages using repeated measures analysis of variance. The findings indicated that the relative power of the theta wave during the relevance judgment stage was significantly higher than during the review stage of the search engine results page. Moreover, no significant differences were found between the reading question and formulating query stages. This suggests that sustained attention is greater during the relevance judgment stage, as users tend to engage more deeply in reading the information pages, assessing their relevance, and seeking the desired answers to their search tasks. In contrast, during the review phase of the search engine results page, users do not require as high a level of sustained attention, since they often skim titles and maintain shorter attention spans. The results of this research could inform the design of personalised search engines using EEG data. Monitoring users’ theta wave activity on content pages could serve as a reliable metric for gauging user engagement and assessing content relevance.

ORCID iDs

Torabi, Mahsa, Mirzabeigi, Mahdieh, Abbaspour, Javad, Hadianfard, Habib and Moshfeghi, Yashar ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4186-1088;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)