{"692810":{"#nid":"692810","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Can Brain Activity Reveal What Surveys Miss?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhat if people\u0027s immediate reactions could reveal insights that surveys sometimes miss? Survey responses can be influenced by factors ranging from question wording to social pressure.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/directory\/faculty\/wu\/index.html\u0022\u003ED.J. \u0026nbsp;Wu\u003C\/a\u003E, professor of information technology management at Georgia Tech\u0027s Scheller College of Business, is exploring whether brain activity can provide another way to understand opinions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis paper, \u201cBrain Speaks Louder Than Words: Neurophysiological Opinion Inference via Cognitive Dissonance Triggers,\u201d recently received the 2026\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.neurois.org\/dr-hermann-zemlicka-award\/\u0022\u003EDr. Hermann Zemlicka Award\u003C\/a\u003E for the most visionary paper at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.neurois.org\/\u0022\u003ENeuroIS Retreat\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWu discusses the research, its potential applications, and the ethical and privacy considerations it raises.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQ\u0026amp;A With D.J.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat was your reaction when you learned your paper received the 2026 Dr. Hermann Zemlicka Award for \u201cmost visionary\u201d research?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Dr. Hermann Zemlicka Award is presented annually at the NeuroIS Retreat to the paper selected as the year\u2019s \u201cmost visionary.\u201d I was surprised and deeply\u0026nbsp;honored to receive it. The recognition was especially meaningful because it affirmed our vision of bringing neuroscience and information systems research together to explore a new way of understanding human opinions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFor readers unfamiliar with your research, what problem were you trying to solve?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe wanted to find a better way to understand people\u2019s opinions in situations where traditional methods, like surveys or tracking behavior, may be biased, intrusive, slow, or difficult to use. Our research explores whether brief brain activity measured by electroencephalography (EEG) can reveal when a statement matches or conflicts with a person\u2019s beliefs. If so, it could provide another way to understand opinions without relying only on what people say or how they behave.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMost people are used to answering surveys, reviews, and polls. What made you wonder if there might be a better way to understand what people really think?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESurveys are extremely useful, but they depend on people actively participating. Those answers can be shaped by factors such as memory, the way a question is worded, social pressure, or a person\u2019s ability and willingness to respond. We wondered whether brain activity could offer another way to understand people\u2019s opinions, especially in situations where those challenges come into play. We wanted to see whether we could capture an immediate reaction before a person has to translate it into words.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe paper title, \u201cBrain Speaks Louder Than Words,\u201d is interesting. Can you give an example of what that means in everyday life?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImagine someone is asked to rate the statement, \u201cI like this product or service.\u201d Even if they feel pressure to give a positive answer, their brain may respond differently depending on whether the statement matches their experience. Our method looks for patterns of brain activity that occur when there is a mismatch between what a person truly believes and what they are evaluating. It is not mind-reading or lie detection. Instead, it uses the brain\u2019s response to conflicting information as one signal that may help us understand whether a statement reflects someone\u2019s genuine opinion.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWere there any findings that surprised you or challenged what you expected going into the project?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne finding was that cognitive conflict depended on more than whether a statement contradicted someone\u2019s opinion. When a heuristic cue, a simple signal that offers a mental shortcut, was present, the brain response to a conflicting statement became weaker. Put intuitively, some contextual cues can soften our immediate sense that \u201cthis does not match what I believe,\u201d even when our underlying opinion remains unchanged.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrivacy is a growing concern in today\u0027s digital world. Can you\u0026nbsp;compare the privacy implication of the proposed approach versus the traditional\u0026nbsp;methods?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur approach could reduce the need to store information such as browsing histories, ratings, or written survey responses. Instead of continuously tracking a person\u2019s behavior, it focuses on collecting a specific brain response during a defined interaction with the user\u2019s consent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the same time, brain activity is sensitive biometric information and could reveal more than what is needed for a particular task. Any privacy benefits therefore depend on robust safeguards, including data minimization, meaningful informed consent, clearly defined limits on data use and retention, and strong data security through offline, locally controlled processing and calibration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur study offers some initial guidance on these issues, but more research is needed to fully understand the privacy implications of this approach.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow could this research change the way organizations understand customers, employees, or other stakeholders in real time?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn situations where surveys may not tell the whole story, receiving feedback is difficult, or past behavioral data are unavailable, our research could eventually help organizations better understand how people are reacting in near real time. For example, it could help identify whether stakeholders\u0027 immediate responses suggest agreement or disagreement with a message, product, digital experience, or decision.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese insights would not replace surveys. Instead, they could complement them by showing where people\u0027s immediate reactions align with, or differ from, what they later report. Any use at the individual level, however, would require informed consent, a clearly defined purpose, and strong privacy safeguards.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe paper points to opportunities for helping people who may have difficulty communicating through traditional methods. What possibilities do you see for making technology more inclusive?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrain-computer interfaces have already shown promise in helping people with severe motor or communication impairments interact with technology. Our research explores one possible way to better understand a person\u0027s opinions or preferences through brain activity during specific tasks. Over time, this type of work could contribute to technologies that are more responsive to individual needs and more accessible for people who face challenges communicating through traditional methods.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFor readers who haven\u2019t thought about neuroscience or brain-computer interfaces before, what\u2019s the one takeaway you hope they remember from this research?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrain signals do not provide a direct window into a person\u0027s thoughts. They reflect many different processes happening in the brain and body, which means they can be difficult to interpret.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat is why theory and experimental design matter. Rather than searching brain data for patterns without a clear explanation, our research focuses on a specific mechanism: how people respond to information that conflicts with their beliefs. By testing that idea in a controlled setting and calibrating the approach for each individual, we can make the results more meaningful and easier to interpret.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/academics-research\/it-management\/index.html\u0022\u003ELearn More: Information Technology Management\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ED.J. Wu, professor of information technology management, discusses his visionary award-winning research and what it could mean for understanding opinions, improving technology, and informing future business decisions.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"D.J. Wu discusses how his brain activity research could help inform future business decisions."}],"uid":"36730","created_gmt":"2026-09-24 17:18:30","changed_gmt":"2026-09-24 17:20:13","author":"klowe36","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681244":{"id":"681244","type":"image","title":"D.J. Wu, Professor; Area Chair, Information Technology Management","body":"\u003Cp\u003ED.J. Wu, professor of Information Technology Management at the Scheller College of Business, smiles in a dark suit jacket and white collared shirt.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1790269834","gmt_created":"2026-09-24 17:10:34","changed":"1790269968","gmt_changed":"2026-09-24 17:12:48","alt":"D.J. Wu, professor of Information Technology Management, Scheller College of Business","file":{"fid":"265613","name":"dj-wu-headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/24\/dj-wu-headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/24\/dj-wu-headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":232500,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/24\/dj-wu-headshot.jpg?itok=5uGho5Aa"}}},"media_ids":["681244"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/directory\/faculty\/wu\/index.html?_gl=1*r7f7i1*_up*MQ..*_ga*NjE2MzIyMzk4LjE3OTAyNjk4NDM.*_ga_8XJDVR2ZKP*czE3OTAyNjk4NDIkbzEkZzEkdDE3OTAyNjk4NDUkajU3JGwwJGgyMDgyMzcxNjUz","title":"Read More"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["kristin.lowe@scheller.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}