neuroscience

research lab
inside the buyer’s brain

memory and

movement
how the business brain builds
knowledge through the body

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 1

 the brain is not a computer
There’s a theory that has been held dear in cognitive science for many decades: comparing the
the brain to a computer.

If you want to modify a computer’s behavior, you install a program—a set of instructions or
“rules”—and get the appropriate output. Learning a new activity (like becoming a pilot) would
simply mean internalizing a correct set of rules.

But new evidence puts this classic cognitivist view under pressure. Abundant research findings
in cognitive science, psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and computer science characterize
cognition to include interactions across the brain, body, and environment.

Interacting with the physical environment impacts perception and thinking, which subsequently
Dr. Carmen Simon
impact memory and comprehension. In other words, cognition is considered to be based
Chief Science Officer
not just on the mind but also on the body. Hence the current theory in cognitive
Corporate Visions and B2B DecisionLabs
science: embodied cognition.

Embodied cognition has gained traction by providing ample evidence for the relationship
between mind and body. For instance, reading comprehension improves when “acting out”
messages and using movement to associate words with images and objects. Scientists have
observed correlations between gestures and math and physics performance. Studies have also
linked interaction with touch screens (e.g., kiosk environments) with a deeper understanding of
the content on those screens.

The purpose of this report is to detail how embodied cognition works, why it is effective for
business content, and how you can implement it in a virtual sales environment.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 2

 embodied You’re i n a vi rtual meeti ng and someone i s

co nition at work
shari ng new i nformati on. H ow do you make
sure you wi l l remember i t l ater?

Handwritten notes 67%

Why does embodied cognition work? It’s likely that by interacting with the environment,
people convey information directly to the brain’s centers for cognition through bodily Electronic notes
routes (which can serve as a foundation for better understanding of abstract concepts).
It’s also possible that by involving the body and the environment, humans lighten the I don’t take notes
cognitive load, freeing up our centers for cognition to do their work better and faster.
I wait for slides
There are various ways to create an interplay between the brain, body, and
environment in a business context. A relatively easy way to invite embodied
cognition is to ask your audience to take notes. 67 percent of survey respondents said
they take handwritten notes during
Abundant research findings indicate that people who take handwritten notes encode virtual meetings.
information better. Handwriting happens in real time. You see each letter forming
stroke by stroke before seeing the final handwritten word. This visual feedback
informs subsequent motor control, and the loop culminates in the production of more
meaningful stimuli, which translates into higher-quality external storage. I f I take el ectroni c notes duri ng a vi rtual
presentati on, I typi cal l y use my:
Prior to this study, we conducted an industry survey with 571 B2B professionals
to investigate preferences for note taking during business presentations, and 67
Computer 64%
percent of respondents remarked they take handwritten notes during virtual
meetings. Of the 29 percent who said they take electronic notes, 64 percent stated
Phone
they use their computers (vs. a tablet or phone).

Even though some respondents mentioned transferring handwritten notes to electronic Tablet

notes, 48 percent of the participants in our study admitted they never revisit their
I never take
notes, remarking that just the act of taking notes is sufficient for memory. electronic notes

So, past research and current preferences support the act of taking notes. How does
Of the respondents who take electronic
note taking impact B2B sales presentations?
notes, 64 percent say they use
their computers.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 3

 study
PowerPoi nt

the

125 participants were divided into five groups and asked to

watch a sales presentation about a marketing platform.

Participants watched either a PowerPoint (PPT) presentation

or a whiteboard (WB) presentation. Two groups watched the
presentations passively, and the other three were asked to
either take notes or draw along while they watched.

Here’s a summary of the five participant groups:

• PPT Passive watched the PowerPoint presentation without

taking notes. Whi teboard

• PPT Handwriting took handwritten notes while they

watched the PowerPoint presentation.

• PPT Typing typed notes while they watched the PowerPoint

presentation.

• WB Passive watched the whiteboard presentation without

drawing along.

• WB Draw Along used a pen and paper to draw along with

the presenter as they watched the whiteboard presentation.

The voiceover was the same for every group, except when the
presenter instructed participants to take notes or draw along.

The presentation was created in two formats (PowerPoint slides

and whiteboard) and was delivered as a simulated Zoom call.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 4

 inside your
buyers'brain EEG

Every B2B DecisionLabs neuroscience study is conducted with actual B2B professionals
ECG
and real B2B content. We used the following equipment to monitor the participants’
subconscious reactions as they watched the sales presentations:
Eye tracker
• EEG (electroencephalogram) cap for recording brain waves.

• ECG (electrocardiogram) electrode for recording heart rate.

• Eye tracker for recording the gaze and where the eyes fixate.

• GSR (galvanic skin response) device for measuring

peaks in arousal.

This combination of neuroscience tools provides a comprehensive

and undiluted view into people’s physiological and psychological
reactions in real time.

Two days after participants watched the videos, they were asked
to fill out a memory and comprehension quiz. To maintain a fair
comparison with the groups that were prevented from taking notes,
we did not allow participants to keep their notes or revisit them
before the memory test.

GSR

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 5

 what we measure After participants viewed the presentations, we analyzed the following variables:

Cognitive Variables: Arousal

(High)

• Attention – a state of focused processing, concentration,

or persistent focus across time. 
Annoyed Excited
• Motivation – the desire to approach a stimulus to
obtain something. 
Angry
Happy
• Working memory (cognitive workload) – the storing and
manipulation of information in short-term memory until
Nervous Pleased
completion of a cognitive task.  
Valence
(Negative) (Positive)
• Fatigue – a decrease in alertness that can impair
efficiency, performance, and memory retrieval.  Sad Relaxed

• Approach/Withdrawal – the emotional response

to positive or negative stimuli.  Bored Peaceful

• Memory – the process of encoding, storing, and

Sleepy Calm
retrieving information.

Affective Variables:
(Low)

• Valence – an emotional state within a pleasure-displeasure

continuum that ranges from positive to negative. 
• A ro usa l – the general level of alertness and wakefulness
of a person, ranging from calm to very intense.
Valence and Arousal are considered two independent neurophysiological
states at the foundation of all other affective states. Varying degrees of
valence and arousal impact emotions, which are essential to memory
and decisions. 

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 6

 create
movin presentations (literally)
People learn better when they observe movement or experience movement.

One way to show movement is through whiteboarding, and one way your audience
can experience movement is by taking notes. As a result, they’ll be more likely to
pay attention, feel motivated, and remember your message more precisely.

ASK VIEWERS ENCOURAGE INCLUDE

TO HAND WRITE ATTENDEES TO WHITEBOARDING
THEIR NOTES DRAW ALONG WHEN POSSIBLE

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 7

 create moving presentations (literally)

ask viewers to

hand write their notes

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 8

 what kind of notes Af f ec tive vari abl es duri ng the presentati on

work best ?
PPT Passive PPT Handwriting PPT Typing
Arousal
(High)
0.5
Tense Alert
Nervous Excited

Stressed Elated
What happens when your audience watches a
Upset Happy
PowerPoint presentation passively vs. using body 0 Valence
(Negative)
(Positive)
movement by taking notes? Sad Content

Depressed Serene
In this study, the affective variables from participants
Bored Relaxed
in the PPT Typing group showed larger levels of Fatigued Calm
-0.5
arousal compared to the other groups, and those
Valence Arousal (Low)
differences were statistically significant. This increase in
arousal, calculated from the EEG and ECG signals, also
matched the observed 53 percent difference in GSR The PPT Typing group showed larger levels of arousal compared to the other groups.
peaks between the PPT Passive and PPT Typing groups.

In terms of cognitive variables, we found that

participants who took handwritten notes (PPT
Handwriting) showed lower levels of attention Cog nitive vari abl es duri ng the presentati on
and working memory, and larger motivation than PPT Passive PPT Handwriting PPT Typing

the other groups. These observations are qualitative,

since no statistically significant differences were found. 1

Overall, asking people to type notes will turn them

into more active participants than watching your
0.5
presentation passively. But handwritten notes are
preferred, since cognitive workload was lower
and motivation was qualitatively higher in the PPT
0
Handwriting group than in the other two groups.
Attention Working memory Fatigue Motivation

Participants who took handwritten notes showed lower levels of attention and working
memory, and larger motivation than the other groups.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 9

 more movement , better memory

Long-term memory for the main message and additional concepts In addition, there was an 80 percent difference between the
was better when more movement was involved—whether handwriting memory accuracy for statistics in the PPT Handwriting group
or typing. And as the hands moved more, memory performance vs. the PPT Passive group, and a 22 percent difference between
increased. participants who took handwritten notes vs. typing them.

There was a 15 percent memory performance difference Memory for statistics was considered important because they were
between the PPT Handwriting and the PPT Passive groups, related to the buyer’s understanding of problems in their industry.
and a four percent difference between the PPT Handwriting and PPT Understanding a problem is an important step to paying attention
Typing groups in their recall of the main message. and wanting to buy a solution to fix the problem.

Ov e r a ll m e m o ry a nd comp r ehension Memory for stati sti cs

PPT Passive PPT Handwriting PPT Typing PPT Passive PPT Handwriting PPT Typing

4.4 16

3.3 0

The PPT Handwriting group remembered the information 15 percent The PPT Handwriting group remembered statistics from the
better than the PPT Passive group, and four percent better than the presentation 80 percent better than the PPT Passive group, and
PPT Typing Group. 22 percent better than the PPT Typing Group.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 10

 H andwri tten notes

quantity vs. quality

Regarding the number of words/symbols that people typed or wrote
down on paper, and the quality of those components, we observed
that participants typed 26 percent more notes than they
wrote by hand. However, the quality of the typed notes
was slightly lower.

The quality of notes was evaluated based on participants capturing

the essence of the main message and impact of the proposed
software solution, which would realistically affect decision making.

Even though these findings are qualitative, they reflect prior research
studies demonstrating the merits of handwriting in general, as well Typed notes
as the superiority of handwriting compared to typing.

Given that participants’ scores in the PPT Handwriting group

trended toward lower working memory and higher motivation, more
excitement, and better long-term memory, consider asking your
attendees to take handwritten notes during your presentation.

The act of taking handwritten notes tends to improve long-

term memory—even if attendees don’t revisit them.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 11

 create moving presentations (literally)

encourage attendees to

draw alon

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 12

 higher Af f ec tive vari abl es duri ng the presentati on

motivation WB Passive

0.5
WB Draw Along
Arousal
(High)

Tense
Nervous
Alert
Excited

With this comparison, we aimed to measure the Stressed Elated

difference between passively watching a whiteboard Upset Happy

0 Valence
(WB Passive) vs. a more embodied condition, in (Negative)
(Positive)
Sad Content
which participants were invited to draw along with
Depressed Serene
the presenter (WB Draw Along).
Bored Relaxed

The affective variables, valence and arousal, were Fatigued Calm

-0.5
close to neutral and there were no significant Valence Arousal (Low)
differences between participants in the two groups.

There were no significant differences between the affective variables of both whiteboard
In terms of cognitive variables, participants in the
groups. Participants all remained in a nearly neutral state.
WB Draw Along group showed higher levels of
motivation to act on the information compared to
the WB Passive group, and those differences were
statistically significant.
Cog nitive vari abl es duri ng the presentati on
Qualitatively, drawing along with a presenter during WB Passive WB Draw Along

a whiteboard presentation led to less fatigue and

less cognitive workload (working memory) than 1

watching it passively.

0.5

0
Attention Working memory Fatigue Motivation

Participants in the WB Draw Along group showed significantly higher levels of motivation
to act on the information compared to the WB Passive group.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 13

 more precise In terms of overall memory and comprehension, we observed a 21 percent memory

memories
difference in favor of the WB Draw Along group compared to the WB Passive group.

The memory for the statistics included in the whiteboard presentation (and the accuracy of
those statistics) was 22 percent better when participants wrote them down. This confirms
that numbers, which do not have a direct physical referent, can benefit from embodiment
and be grounded in perception and action.

In addition, other neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that number magnitude is

represented in the parietal area of the brain, which is also involved in processing space.
When participants drew along with the whiteboard, that space was made clearer.

O v e ra ll m e m o r y a nd c omp r ehension Memory for stati sti cs

WB Passive WB Draw Along WB Passive WB Draw Along

4.7 6

3.6 0

There was a 21 percent memory difference in favor of the Memory for the statistics included in the whiteboard
WB Draw Along group compared to the WB Passive group. presentation was 22 percent better when participants
wrote them down.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 14

 drawin improves memory

In addition to visuospatial representation, numbers are also grounded in

the motor system, particularly in hand actions. Most impressively, finger
counting systems used to teach children numbers still play a role in
adults when they process numbers.

Participants in the WB Draw Along group repeatedly watched

movement, performed movement, and used objects (paper and pen)
during the most important parts of the presentation. That, in turn,
improved their memory of the statistics.

Taken together, the superior memory and motivation associated with

the WB Draw Along group reflect findings from other studies, which
indicate that grounding abstract concepts in sensorimotor circuits of
the brain is the result of repeated and meaningful interactions with
objects and the environment. For example, only professional musicians
(not laypersons) activate the auditory association cortex when accessing
conceptual knowledge about musical instruments. Other findings
confirm that in the absence of such embodied experiences, mental
representations are mainly based on verbal associations, which people
are more prone to forgetting.

Based on these observations, our recommendation is that if you’re

delivering a whiteboard presentation, invite your audience to
draw along. Doing so leads to less fatigue, less cognitive workload,
Participants in both whiteboard presentation groups could see
more motivation to act on the content, and better long-term memory.
the presenter’s gestures—especially those indicative of numbers.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 15

 create moving presentations (literally)

include whiteboardinwhen possible

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 16

 the
passive experience
Af f ec tive vari abl es duri ng the presentati on
PPT Passive WB Passive
Arousal
(High)
0.5
Tense Alert
Comparing the passive experience of watching Nervous Excited

both presentations, the affective variables (valence Stressed Elated

and arousal) tended to be neutral (close to zero). Upset Happy

0 Valence
(Negative)
There were no significant differences between (Positive)
Sad Content
the PPT Passive group and the WB Passive group,
Depressed Serene
although arousal was qualitatively higher in the
Bored Relaxed
PowerPoint condition. Fatigued Calm
-0.5
Regarding cognitive variables, participants Valence Arousal (Low)

in the PPT Passive group showed larger

attention levels and lower fatigue levels than There were no significant differences between the affective variables of PPT Passive group and WB
participants from the WB Passive group. Though Passive group participants, although arousal was qualitatively higher in the PowerPoint condition.
not statistically significant, this difference might
be because business professionals, in general,
are used to seeing a sales presentation with slides,
and it takes less cognitive effort to process. Cog nitive vari abl es duri ng the presentati on
PPT Passive WB Passive
In this study, the PowerPoint slides included
visuals that are typically present in a sales
1
presentation (stock photos, icons, lines, and
shapes), while the whiteboard presentation
contained more movement from the presenter and
0.5
their physical use of markers.

In the whiteboard presentation, participants

could see each element take shape, while in the 0
PowerPoint version, they only saw the results of Attention Working memory Fatigue Motivation
someone else’s slide creation.
Participants in the PPT Passive group showed larger attention levels and lower fatigue
levels than participants from the WB Passive group.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 17

 better
synchronization
In terms of memory and comprehension, we did not notice a major
difference between the PPT Passive group vs. the WB Passive group.
However, when we calculated the Inter-Subject Correlation (ISC)
score, which provides a measure of how synchronized participants’
brains were in each group during the presentations, we noted the
WB Passive group showed larger synchronization than the
other groups. Participants in the PPT Passive group showed the
lowest synchronization values.
P a r ti c ip a nt s y n c hro niz a tion d uring the p r esentation
PPT Passive PPT Handwriting PPT Typing WB Passive
INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t
The higher synchronization score for the passive whiteboard presentation
confirms prior research results, according to which thinking about an action
or observing an action evokes the same visual stimuli, motor movement, and
tactile sensations that occur during the act itself.
Participants in the WB Passive group watched the speaker moving and
drawing on a whiteboard, activating their motor cortex. By contrast,
PowerPoint slides didn’t show human actions when presenting the data, so
they didn’t lead to the same synchronization between participants. When
watching a slide presentation, each person can decide to internally represent
the information in different ways, thus decreasing the ISC.
Based on this statistically higher ISC score, we recommend that if your
audience will be watching your presentation passively, consider delivering at
least part of your presentation on a whiteboard.
WB Draw Along
The WB Passive group showed larger synchronization than the other
groups. Participants in the PPT Passive group showed the lowest
synchronization values.
18
 overall results for Af f ec tive vari abl es duri ng the presentati on

the
5 roups
PPT Passive PPT Handwriting PPT Typing WB Passive WB Draw Along

Arousal
(High)
0.5
Tense Alert
Nervous Excited
Analyzing the affective variables across all five Stressed Elated

groups, there were larger arousal levels in Upset Happy

Valence
the PPT Typing group compared to the rest 0 (Negative)
(Positive)
Sad Content
of groups. These differences were statistically
Depressed Serene
significant compared to the PPT Passive group,
Bored Relaxed
PPT Handwriting group, and WB Passive group.
Fatigued Calm
-0.5
Regarding cognitive variables, we found larger Valence Arousal (Low)
motivational levels in the Whiteboard Draw
Along group and the PPT Handwriting
Participants in the PPT Typing group showed more arousal than other groups.
group. These differences were statistically
significant compared to the PPT Passive group,
PPT Typing group, and WB Passive group.
Cog nitive vari abl es duri ng the presentati on
Regarding long-term memory and comprehension
PPT Passive PPT Handwriting PPT Typing WB Passive WB Draw Along
scores for the five groups, we observed better
memory performance for the WB Draw
1
Along and the PPT Handwriting groups. The
PPT Passive group received the lowest memory
score.
0.5
The PPT Handwriting and WB Draw Along groups
also showed superior memory for statistics in the
presentation, as well as the accuracy of those
0
statistics. Attention Working memory Fatigue Motivation

Participants in the WB Draw Along group and the PPT Hand Writing group were more
motivated than other groups.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 19

 visual attention for all groups
During the eye tracking analysis, we established several areas of interest
(AOIs) across the presentation visuals. These AOIs included statistics tied
to issues that buyers typically face related to the subject matter, along with
words related to the main message and three important components of the
recommended solution.
You might expect that participants in the passive groups would pay more
attention since they weren’t taking notes or drawing, but that wasn’t the
case for the whiteboarding presentations.
D w el l tim e o n A O I s d u ring p r esentat ion
PPT Passive PPT Handwriting PPT Typing WB Passive WB Draw Along
(in seconds)
Dwell time
There was a 91 percent difference in visual attention to the important
AOIs in favor of the WB Passive group compared to the PPT Passive
group, and a 112 percent difference in visual attention between the
WB Draw Along group vs. the PPT Handwriting group.
INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t
There was a 91 percent difference in visual attention to the important AOIs in
favor of the WB Passive group compared to the PPT Passive group. There was also
a 112 percent difference in visual attention between the WB Draw Along group
vs. the PPT Handwriting group. There was a 12 percent difference in the visual
attention between the PPT Handwriting and PPT Typing groups.
Differences were also apparent in how participants directed their attention to the
presenter. In the passive groups, there was an 80 percent difference in
visual attention to the presenter drawing on a whiteboard vs. delivering
slides. Even in the embodied conditions, there was an 87 percent and 75 percent
difference in the PPT Handwriting and PPT Typing vs. WB Draw Along groups,
respectively.
Given these results, a whiteboard is advisable for presentations where you want the
audience to focus on the presenter.
Dwel l ti me on the presenter duri ng presentati on
PPT Passive PPT Handwriting PPT Typing WB Passive WB Draw Along
(in seconds)
Dwell time
Participants in the whiteboard groups spent significantly more
time looking at the presenter, compared to participants in the
PowerPoint groups.
20
 create
movin presentations (literally)
People learn better when they observe movement or experience movement.

One way to show movement is through whiteboarding, and one way your audience
can experience movement is by taking notes. As a result, they’ll be more likely to
pay attention, feel motivated, and remember your message more precisely.

If you deliver a PowerPoint presentation, ask your audience to

ASK VIEWERS
take handwritten notes. This activity will improve their motivation
TO HAND WRITE
to act, reduce their cognitive workload, and overall,
THEIR NOTES improve memory accuracy and comprehension.

If you deliver a whiteboard presentation, ask participants

ENCOURAGE
to draw along with you. Doing so significantly increases
ATTENDEES TO
their levels of motivation and memory without sacrificing
DRAW ALONG visual attention to the presentation.

If your content is conducive to the format, deliver at least part of

INCLUDE
your presentation on a whiteboard. Even if they watch passively,
WHITEBOARDING
attendees will experience significantly better brain synchronization,
WHEN POSSIBLE making it more likely that they’ll remember the same information.

INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 21

 about B2B DecisionLabs author
B2B DecisionLabs is the only advisory firm and membership community dedicated to helping
marketing, sales, and customer success departments improve seller and buyer interactions to Dr. Carmen Simon
Chief Science Officer
drive better commercial outcomes. B2B DecisionLabs offers science-backed insights, expert
Corporate Visions and B2B DecisionLabs
guidance, and field-ready tools through four dedicated research laboratories: 

• Behavioral studies – to understand why buyers behave the way they do through
fast, large-scale simulations. 

• Neuroscience research – to observe what’s going on inside buyers’ brains using Carmen Simon, Ph.D., is a cognitive neuroscientist
EEG, ECG, GSR, eye tracking, and facial analysis tools.  and Chief Science Officer at Corporate Visions and
B2B DecisionLabs. A Silicon Valley entrepreneur and
• Field trials – to optimize your digital selling initiatives by testing, tracking, and keynote speaker, Carmen addresses a groundbreaking
validating real-world customer interactions and outcomes. approach to creating memorable messages that are
easy to process, hard to forget, and impossible to
• Machine learning & sales analytics – to transform unstructured sales data into
ignore―using the latest in brain science. Dr. Simon
useful insights and coaching opportunities using AI-powered technology.
is the author of Impossible to Ignore: Creating
Memorable Content to Influence Decisions.
CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE

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INSIDE THE BUYER’S BRAIN | M e m o r y a n d M o v e m e n t 22