Researcher ORCID Identifier

0009-0005-9866-241X

Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Neuroscience

Reader 1

Gautam Agarwal

Reader 2

Xiao Zhang

Abstract

How can we investigate the internal processes of people as they go about formulating a plan to solve a problem? Hexxed, as a scientific study tool, offers a task that is both simple enough for scientific scrutiny and complex enough to challenge the mental capacities of its players. Physiological monitoring through the measurement of pupil size gives insight into the mental state of the players during the planning stage of the decision-making process. Cognitive load is the amount of mental effort required to complete a task. It is hypothesized that greater reaction time and larger pupil diameter would indicate that the individual is experiencing more cognitive load. Initial analysis has determined that a longer reaction time during the planning stage has a negative impact. This proposal will aim to interpret pupil size to give insight into the mental state of the players during the planning stage. Understanding the impact of cognitive load will have implications in areas such as education and user experience design, where the development of efficient problem-solving skills is crucial.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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