A self organizing map approach to physiological data analysis for enhanced group performance

A self organizing map (SOM) approach was used to analyze physiological data taken from a group of subjects participating in a cooperative video shooting game. The ultimate aim was to discover signatures of group cooperation, conflict, leadership and performance. Such information could be fed back to participants in a meaningful way and ultimately increase group performance in national security applications, where the consequences of a poor group decision can be devastating. Results demonstrated that a SOM can be a useful tool in revealing individual and group signatures from physiological data and could ultimately be used to heighten group performance.