How to Conduct a Functional Magnetic Resonance (FMRI) Study in Social Science Research
MIS Quarterly Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 811-840
43 Pages Posted: 26 Apr 2014 Last revised: 31 Dec 2016
Date Written: September 1, 2012
Abstract
This research essay outlines a set of guidelines for conducting functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies in social science research in general and also, accordingly, in Information Systems research. Given the increased interest in using neuroimaging tools across the social sciences, this study aims at specifying the key steps needed to conduct an fMRI study while ensuring that enough detail is provided to evaluate the methods and results. The outline of an fMRI study consists of four key steps: (1) formulating the research question, (2) designing the fMRI protocol, (3) analyzing fMRI data, and (4) interpreting and reporting fMRI results. These steps are described with an illustrative example of a published fMRI study on trust and distrust in this journal (Dimoka 2010). The paper contributes to the methodological literature by (1) providing a set of guidelines for designing and conducting fMRI studies, (2) specifying methodological details that should be included in fMRI studies in academic venues, and (3) illustrating these practices with an exemplar fMRI study. Future directions for conducting high-quality fMRI studies in the social sciences are discussed.
Keywords: fMRI, decision neuroscience, neuroIS, brain imaging
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?
Recommended Papers
-
What Does the Brain Tell Us About Trust and Distrust? Evidence from a Functional Neuroimaging Study
-
NeuroIS: The Potential of Cognitive Neuroscience for Information Systems Research
By Angelika Dimoka, Paul A. Pavlou, ...
-
Trust and Distrust in Work Relationships: A Grounded Approach
-
On the Use of Neurophysiological Tools in IS Research: Developing a Research Agenda for NeuroIS
By Angelika Dimoka, Rajiv D. Banker, ...
-
Introduction to the Special Issue on Novel Perspectives on Trust in Information Systems
By Izak Benbasat, David Gefen, ...
-
Comparison of Block and Event-Related fMRI Designs in Evaluating the Word-Frequency Effect
By Michael Chee, Vinod Venkatraman, ...