We used functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and a split ratio paradigm used to investigate the role and nature of prior knowledge in conceptual change in science. Sixteen participants, eight physicists and eight non-physicists were presented with two types of videos, Newtonian (two balls of unequal mass falling at the same rate) and Impetus (two balls of unequal mass, the larger one falling faster), to vary their exposure to plausible and implausible information. Whereas no increased neural activation was found in physicists, non-physicists showed recruitment in the frontopolar areas and DLPFC. Studies implicating these regions in integration and working memory support the notion that prior knowledge held by novices is flexible and context-dependent.

We used functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and a split ratio paradigm used to investigate the role and nature of prior knowledge in conceptual change in science. Sixteen participants, eight physicists and eight non-physicists were presented with two types of videos, Newtonian (two balls of unequal mass falling at the same rate) and Impetus (two balls of unequal mass, the larger one falling faster), to vary their exposure to plausible and implausible information. Whereas no increased neural activation was found in physicists, non-physicists showed recruitment in the frontopolar areas and DLPFC. Studies implicating these regions in integration and working memory support the notion that prior knowledge held by novices is flexible and context-dependent.