Analyses of the Effects of Humanities Education on Brain Waves of the Frontal, Parietal, and Temporal Regions

Abstract

This study was conducted targeting college students majoring in science and engineering, who were divided into an experimental group who took a humanities course and a control group who did not. After the experimental group took a humanities course, the brain wave activity of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and central regions of the two groups was measured using electroencephalography systems, and the electroencephalogram (EEG) waveforms of the anterior cerebrum were comparatively analyzed. A total of 67 subjects participated in the experiment, with 36 in the experimental group and 31 in the control group. According to the International 10-20 system, an international standard for EEG measurement, 7 electrodes (Cz, F3, F4, P3, P4, T3, T4) were attached to the cerebral scalp, and 2 reference electrodes were attached to both earlobes. These were attached after adjusting the resistance to the minimum value. The experimental group took a humanities course called "Understanding Beauty" for two hours twice a week over a period of 15 weeks. This course aimed to develop students’ imaginations to overcome a fact-centered world. After each lecture, the experimental group was asked to sit in a comfortable position with their eyes closed in a dark and quiet environment, and EEG measurements were started when their brain waveforms became stable. EEG measurements were also taken for the control group who did not take the course, at the same time and in the same manner. The measurements were conducted for about 10 minutes. The pattern in EEG changes between the two groups over time was analyzed by dividing them into alpha waves (8-13 Hz), theta waves (4-8 Hz), and beta waves (13-3 Hz). Based on the analysis results, for relative alpha waves, the difference between the mean vectors of all 7 variables was significant depending on the treatment (lecture attendance) (F(7, 59)=11.790, p<0.001). The variation over time between the experimental and control groups was significant (F(21,45)=3.575, p<0.001), indicating that there was an interaction effect between repeated measures and the groups. For relative beta waves, the difference between the mean vectors of all 7 variables was significant depending on the treatment (F(7, 59)=12.628, p<0.001). The variation over time between the two groups was significant (F(21,45)=3.388, p<0.001), suggesting that there was an interaction effect between repeated measures and the groups. For relative theta waves, the difference between the mean vectors of all 7 variables was significant depending on the treatment (F(7, 59)=5.301, p<0.001). The variation over time between the two groups was significant (F(21,45)=3.388, p<0.001), which means that there was an interaction effect between repeated measures and the groups.