Blogs (1) >>
ICSE 2019
Sat 25 - Fri 31 May 2019 Montreal, QC, Canada
Wed 29 May 2019 17:10 - 17:30 at Place du Canada - Studying Developers Chair(s): Thomas Fritz

Data structures permeate many aspects of software engineering, but their associated human cognitive processes are not thoroughly understood. We leverage medical imaging and insights from the psychological notion of spatial ability to decode the neural representations of several fundamental data structures and their manipulations. In a human study involving 76 participants, we examine list, array, tree, and mental rotation tasks using both functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

We find a nuanced relationship: data structure and spatial operations use the same focal regions of the brain but to different degrees. They are related but distinct neural tasks. In addition, problem difficulty matters, inducing a higher cognitive load in computer science than in pure spatial reasoning. Finally, while fNIRS is less expensive and more permissive, there are some computing-relevant brain regions that only fMRI can reach.

Wed 29 May

Displayed time zone: Eastern Time (US & Canada) change

16:00 - 18:00
Studying DevelopersPapers / Technical Track / New Ideas and Emerging Results / Journal-First Papers at Place du Canada
Chair(s): Thomas Fritz University of Zurich, University of British Columbia
16:00
20m
Talk
How C++ Developers Use Immutability Declarations: an Empirical StudyArtifacts AvailableArtifacts Evaluated ReusableTechnical TrackIndustry Program
Technical Track
Jon Eyolfson University of Waterloo, Patrick Lam University of Waterloo
16:20
10m
Talk
Need for Sleep: the Impact of a Night of Sleep Deprivation on Novice Developers' PerformanceIndustry ProgramJournal-First
Journal-First Papers
Davide Fucci University of Hamburg, Giuseppe Scanniello University of Basilicata, Simone Romano University of Basilicata, Natalia Juristo Universidad Politecnica de Madrid
16:30
20m
Talk
Latent Patterns in Activities: A Field Study of How Developers Manage ContextTechnical Track
Technical Track
Souti Chattopadhyay Graduate Student, Nicholas Nelson Oregon State University, Yenifer Ramirez Gonzalez Oregon State University, Annel Amelia Leon Oregon State University, Rahul Pandita Phase Change Software, Anita Sarma Oregon State University
16:50
20m
Talk
Developer Reading Behavior while Summarizing Java Methods : Size and Context MattersArtifacts AvailableArtifacts Evaluated ReusableTechnical Track
Technical Track
Nahla Abid , Bonita Sharif University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, Natalia Dragan Kent State University, Hend Alrasheed Kent State University, Jonathan I. Maletic Kent State University
17:10
20m
Talk
Distilling Neural Representations of Data Structure Manipulation using fMRI and fNIRSACM SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper AwardTechnical Track
Technical Track
Yu Huang University of Michigan, Xinyu Liu University of Michigan, Ryan Krueger University of Michigan, Tyler Santander University of California at Santa Barbara, Xiaosu Hu University of Michigan, Kevin Leach University of Michigan, Westley Weimer University of Michigan
Pre-print
17:30
10m
Talk
Biofeedback augmented software engineering: monitoring of programmers' mental effortNIER
New Ideas and Emerging Results
Ricardo Couceiro University of Coimbra, Gonçalo Duarte University of Coimbra, João Durães CISUC, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, João Castelhano ICNAS, University of Coimbra, Catarina Duarte ICNAS, University of Coimbra, Cesar Teixeira University of Coimbra, Miguel Castelo Branco ICNAS/CIBIT, University of Coimbra, Paulo Carvalho University of Coimbra, Henrique Madeira University of Coimbra
17:40
20m
Talk
Discussion Period
Papers