Cortical activity of relevance

Many theoretical approaches in information retrieval assume that relevance is based on mutual interaction of the system and user. Past studies have mainly focused on the system side of relevance, while user-centred studies are more recent. As a result, this work aims to focus on user relevance, which is characterised as a subjective process, dependant on the specific user mind state [19]. To gain a better insight into the nature of this internal and subjective process, it is crucial to examine the underlying behavioural, physiological and psychological mechanisms involved [1]. With the development of brain imaging, new research has begun to investigate user relevance by analysing neural brain activity. However, despite the available research, different strata of relevance proposed by Saracevic (1997), have not yet been investigated in terms of neuroscience. A better understanding of relevance is an important step towards improving personalisation in the information retrieval process.