Assessing the Relationship Between Learning Stages and Prefrontal Cortex Activation in a Psychomotor Task

This research investigates how brain activation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) changes with learning stages in a psychomotor task. Utilizing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we measure prefrontal cortex activation in participants engaged in the simulated landing of a quadrotor, a complex system whose dynamics are non-intuitive for novices. Our findings indicate a significant decrease in PFC activation as learners progress from novice to proficient stages, suggesting a reduction in cognitive load that is correlated with performance improvements in the landing task. These insights could inform the design of future systems that optimize learning interventions based on cognitive state assessments.