Simultaneous measurement of program comprehension with fMRI and eye tracking: a case study

摘要: Background Researchers have recently started to validate decades-old program-comprehension models using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). While fMRI helps us understand neural correlates of cognitive processes during program comprehension, its comparatively low temporal resolution (i.e., seconds) cannot capture fast subprocesses milliseconds).Aims To increase the explanatory power measurement programmers, we are exploring in this methodological paper feasibility adding simultaneous eye tracking measurement. By developing a method observe programmers with two complementary measures, aim at obtaining more comprehensive understanding comprehension.Method We conducted controlled experiment 22 student participants tracking.Results been able successfully and eye-tracking data, although limitations regarding partial data loss spatial imprecision. The biggest issue that experienced is data: for only 10 participants, could collect complete set high-precision data. Since some studies show excessive head motion, proportion full high-quality on rather low. Still, remaining allowed confirm our prior hypothesis semantic recall which was not possible alone.Conclusions Simultaneous comprehension promising, but limitations. study framework, can conduct fine-grained analyses, turn programmer behavior better.