This research proposal aims to use fMRI to study observational learning and brain activity. The study hypothesizes that observing a guitar lesson video will increase brain activity in participants who do not play guitar, but not in those who do. Two groups of 60 participants each - guitar players and non-players - will watch the video while fMRI scans are performed before and after to measure brain activity changes, particularly in regions linked to observational learning like the intraparietal sulcus. The study expects to find greater increases in brain activity for non-players compared to players due to observational learning. Results could provide insight into how the brain is activated during observational learning processes.

1. Researchproposal: Observationallearning and brain activity using fMRI
Abstract
The factors of observational learning and imitation play a crucial role in the powerful
learning strategy for humans. Recent results of Functional magnetic resonance imaging
(fMRI) research studies show that there are brain regions, which have relation with the mirror
neuron system. Specifically, it is observed that there is a significant raised activity in these
brain regions during the processes of observation and imitation of other people’s movements.
Keywords: fMRI, observation, learning, activity, neuron system
Introduction
Nowadays, there is a significant increase of research methods, which are used for the
assessment of the research studies’ findings. The development of Functional magnetic
resonance imaging (fMRI) helps researchers to study, assess and interpret studies’ results
about the relationship between the function of specific brain regions and the observational
learning. The process of observational learning is the basic and powerful mechanisms that are
associated with the ability of people to learn (Bandura, 1986). According to behavioural
researchers, the two most important factors for learning are the observation and the correct
imitation of movements at the same time (Badets, Blandin, & Shea, 2006). In addition,
according to Mattar and Gribble (2005), the factor of observation needs to be supported by
the ability of individual to perform and practice all observing movements.
The discovery of the mirror neuron system contributes to the understanding of actions of
other people and can be responsible for individual’s ability to learn by observing and
imitating others. This discovery happened during 1990s. This time period some researchers
tried to interpret the cortical activation in monkeys, which is associated with the ability of

2. them to grasp objects from a box. It is worth to be mentioned that the cortical activation also
happened when some of experimenters started grasping objects and the monkeys were
observing them (Di Pellegrino et al., 1992). Moreover, the mirror neuron system of monkeys
receives single neuron recordings for the evidence. Furthermore, according to Rizzolatti and
Craighero (2004), there are not findings that show the existence of a similar mirror neuron
system in humans.
Findings from previous research studies
There is a large amount of research studies that examine how the increase of brain activity
is due to different actions of person. According to Binkofski, Buccino, Posse, Seitz, Rizzolatti
and Freund (1999), the movement of grasping or manipulating objects causes changes in
brain activity of left inferior frontal cortex in humans. Additionally, the results of another
research study show that there are changes in brain activity of the left dorsal premotor cortex,
when individual has to perform a recognition task (Perani, et al., 1995). Another important
discovery came from research study of Grafton and his colleagues (1997). They found that
there was a significant increase of brain activity in left dorsal premotor, left ventral premotor
cortex and the supplementary motor area during the process of naming the uses of observed
tools.
Hypotheses
There is a great deal of Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research studies,
which examine if there is difference in brain activity because of observational learning. The
fMRI research studies contribute to the assessment of the brain activity during the processes
of observation and imitation. The observer tries to perform correctly what he/she watches.
He/she has to follow a specific pattern of movements. The aim of this study is to explain how
people can learn through observational learning. The first hypothesis of this study assumes

3. that there will be changes in brain activity due to the process of observational learning.
However, the second hypothesis assumes that there will be differences between the brain
activity of the participants of the first group and the brain activity of the participants of the
second group.
Methods
First of all, the sample of this research will be young people between the ages of 18 and 30.
There will be two different groups. The first group will consist of 60 participants, who are
guitar players. On the other hand, the second group will consist of 60 participants, who do not
play guitar.
In this research study, the method of fMRI will be used in order to assess the brain activity
during the observational learning. The participants of the second group will watch a video for
few minutes, which will show guitar lessons for beginners. This video will be very simple
and easy, because they are not guitar players and it will be more difficult for them to copy
something more complicated. Before and after video, the method of fMRI will be used in
order to assess the brain activity of participants of the second group. During the video, the
participants of the second group will try to imitate all the movements correctly. When video
will finish, the participants of the second group will be asked to perform what they saw. It is
expected that the brain activity of participants will not be increased before the video, but after
it. According to Frey and his colleagues (2005) when a person observes in order to copy and
reproduce an action of other person, there is raise of brain activity in the intraparietal sulcus
(IPS), which is in the parietal lobe.
Also, the method of fMRI will be used for the assessment of brain activity of the
participants of the first group, who know how to play guitar. The method of fMRI will be
used before and after video, as it will happen with participants of the first group.

4. At the end, there will be comparison between the participants of the first group and the
participants of the second group. The results will show if there is an important raise of brain
activity because of observational learning. Furthermore, the findings of this research can
show if there are differences between the brain activity of the participants of the first group
and the brain activity of the participants of the second group.
Anticipated Results
The first anticipated result will be the increase of brain activity in participants of second
group, who do not know to play guitar. As it has already been mentioned, the method of
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be used for the assessment of brain
activity. Moreover, another anticipated result is that only the participants of the second group
will present a significant raise of brain activity because of observational learning. However,
the participants of the first group will present small changes in their brain activity, because
they will not be influenced so much by the process of observational learning, because they
already know how to play guitar.
Discussion
The purpose of this research is to provide useful information about the relationship between
brain activity and the process of observational learning. Except for it, this study shows that
the method of Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) plays an important role in the
assessment of brain activity. A lot of fMRI research studies have been conducted in order to
test the changes in brain activity of people.

5. References
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Grafton, S. T., Fadiga, L., Arbib, M. A., & Rizzolatti, G. (1997). Premotor cortex activation
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