THE METACOGNITION-CENTRIC DUAL PROCESS MODEL IN E-COMMERCE: FMRI-BASED NEUROIMAGING EVIDENCE

Abstract

METACOGNITION, LOCATED AT META-LEVEL IN THE HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF COGNITION, INVOLVES MONITORING AND EXERTING CONTROL UPON OBJECT-LEVEL COGNITION. HUMAN GEARS EFFORTS TOWARDS METACOGNITION TO COORDINATE OBJECT-LEVEL COGNITION IN PROBLEM-SOLVING AND DECISION-MAKING. HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION (HCI) RESEARCH HAS DEVELOPED IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF OBJECT-LEVEL COGNITION IN INTERACTION WITH IT ARTEFACTS. DESPITE THAT, WITHOUT FURTHER COMPREHENDING METACOGNITION BEYOND OBJECT-LEVEL COGNITION, WE CANNOT OBTAIN A FULL AND ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE MENTAL PROCESSES IN CONSUMER DECISION MAKING. THE THESIS EXPLORES THE NEURAL UNDERPINNINGS OF METACOGNITION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH DUAL PROCESSES BY MEANS OF FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (FMRI). FROM A NEUROSCIENCE PERSPECTIVE, THE TWO FMRI STUDIES IN THE THESIS AIM TO 1) LOCALIZE THE BRAIN REGIONS INVOLVED IN CONSUMERS' METACOGNITION DURING SHOPPING DECISION-MAKINGS IN E-COMMERCE; 2) INVESTIGATE THE FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN TH