**2. Method**

#### **2.1 Participants**

Sixty women (age range: 25–39 years, average age: 30.6 years) participated in this experiment; the sample included 17 Japanese, 10 Chinese, 11 American, 11 German, and 11 Hispanic individuals. These classifications were based on nationality and place of residence. One left-handed subject (Hispanic) and two subjects (American and German) with a Japanese father or mother were excluded from the data analysis.

#### **2.2 Apparatus**

We used a multichannel NIRS system (ETG-4000, Hitachi Medical Corp., Tokyo, Japan) to measure brain activity. The NIRS unit was operated at near-infrared wavelengths of 695 and 830 nm and was used to measure temporal changes in concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb), deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb), and total-hemoglobin. We used a pair of probe holders, each of which consisted of arrays measuring 4 × 4. Sixteen optodes (eight emitting and eight detecting) produced 24 channels for each probe. The distance between each emitting and corresponding detecting optode was 3.0 cm. The sampling rate at each channel was approximately 10 Hz.

The probes were placed on the frontal region of each hemisphere (Fig. 1). The Cz (international 10/20 system) was set to align with a line connecting between the positions at the superior/posterior corners of the arrays (i.e., the emitter for the right probe and the detector for the left probe), and the Fz was aligned with the middle of the two connecting lines between the positions at the superior/anterior corners of the arrays and between the positions at the superior/second-from-anterior intersections of the arrays. Because the participant's heads were not exactly the same size, the Fz positions of participants differed slightly. The position of each column of emitters or detectors in the array was parallel to the midline of the brain.

Amita, Oda, Konishi, Sakamoto, Isobe, Suzuki, Kohyama, & Dan, 2004), demonstrating that

Many different ways of trying articles/products at stores exist, including touching and listening to explanations offered by sales persons. However, the most effective ways to provide a good impression to customers or increase the chance that customers will purchase a given item remains unclear. Additionally, the association of the formation of an impression and buying behavior with brain activation has not been investigated. In actual situations, sales persons have a variety of ways to explain the features of articles to be sold. In the present study, we simulated a situation in which a customer (i.e., participant) and a

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between different ways of learning about a cosmetic and brain activation and to examine the relationship between

Sixty women (age range: 25–39 years, average age: 30.6 years) participated in this experiment; the sample included 17 Japanese, 10 Chinese, 11 American, 11 German, and 11 Hispanic individuals. These classifications were based on nationality and place of residence. One left-handed subject (Hispanic) and two subjects (American and German) with a

We used a multichannel NIRS system (ETG-4000, Hitachi Medical Corp., Tokyo, Japan) to measure brain activity. The NIRS unit was operated at near-infrared wavelengths of 695 and 830 nm and was used to measure temporal changes in concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb), deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb), and total-hemoglobin. We used a pair of probe holders, each of which consisted of arrays measuring 4 × 4. Sixteen optodes (eight emitting and eight detecting) produced 24 channels for each probe. The distance between each emitting and corresponding detecting optode was 3.0 cm. The

The probes were placed on the frontal region of each hemisphere (Fig. 1). The Cz (international 10/20 system) was set to align with a line connecting between the positions at the superior/posterior corners of the arrays (i.e., the emitter for the right probe and the detector for the left probe), and the Fz was aligned with the middle of the two connecting lines between the positions at the superior/anterior corners of the arrays and between the positions at the superior/second-from-anterior intersections of the arrays. Because the participant's heads were not exactly the same size, the Fz positions of participants differed slightly. The position of each column of emitters or detectors in the array was parallel to the midline of the brain.

brain activation and impression formation and willingness-to-use decisions.

NIRS can be applied to real-life situations involving actions and movements.

**1.3 In-store buying experiences and brain imaging** 

sales person (i.e., confederate) interacted in five different ways.

Japanese father or mother were excluded from the data analysis.

sampling rate at each channel was approximately 10 Hz.

**1.4 Purpose of the study** 

**2. Method** 

**2.1 Participants** 

**2.2 Apparatus** 

Fig. 1. Positions of optodes placed on the prefrontal regions of both hemispheres. The distance between each emitter (indicated by light gray squares) and the corresponding detector (indicated by dark gray squares) was 3 cm. These emitters and detectors were placed in probes with 4 × 4 arrays.
