Investigating the effects of neurofeedback on knowledge workers' perceptions of self-accomplishment, focus and task performance

Abstract

Knowledge workers often struggle to evaluate their productivity and sense of accomplishment due to the intangible nature of their work. They rely on internal cues and personal metrics such as focus, effort, or goal completion. Traditional productivity tools overlook these dimensions, creating a gap between effort and perceived performance. This study examines how neurofeedback influences perceptions of self-accomplishment, focus, and task performance. We conducted a study in which N=20 participants completed reading and writing tasks while wearing a commercial EEG headband. Each participant completed one task with live neurofeedback and another with feedback shown afterward. While neurofeedback did not change how participants defined self-accomplishment, it encouraged reflection and awareness of cognitive effort. Some found the feedback validating, while others felt pressure or questioned its accuracy. Our findings suggest that neurofeedback can aid self-reflection in knowledge work when it is unobtrusive, ensures data comprehensibility, and supports users' existing self-evaluation strategies.