Placement begins by using the nasion, inion, and preauricular points as reference landmarks. Researchers divide the measured distances between these points into 10% and 20% intervals, then use those intervals to locate electrode positions. This geometric procedure reduces variation in scalp placement, allowing recordings from corresponding locations to be compared across participants and laboratories.
The letter-number labels provide a coordinate system for reporting where each signal was recorded. Letters identify the scalp region, while numbers indicate the hemisphere. This notation lets researchers connect a voltage trace to a consistent anatomical position without relying only on an electrode’s physical appearance or its position in a particular laboratory setup.
Electrodes detect voltage fluctuations associated with synchronized postsynaptic activity in the brain. The recorded changes therefore provide a way to examine how brain activity varies during behavioral processes, rather than directly describing behavior itself. In studies of attention, perception, learning, sleep, or emotion, electrode location helps organize the spatial interpretation of those responses.
Researchers first identify the specified anatomical landmarks, divide the relevant distances into 10% and 20% segments, and position electrodes at the resulting sites. They then identify each location with its regional letter and hemispheric number. Following the same sequence supports a consistent setup and makes recordings easier to compare across participants and experiments.
Behavioral researchers can use this arrangement to examine brain responses linked with attention, perception, learning, sleep, or emotion. The standardized locations provide a common framework for relating recorded voltage fluctuations to the behavioral process under study. This framework is particularly useful when findings must be interpreted alongside recordings from other participants or laboratories.
Consistent electrode placement improves the interpretation and replication of EEG findings. When corresponding scalp locations are used across experiments, differences in recorded activity can be considered in relation to the behavioral question rather than arising solely from inconsistent positioning. This makes International 10-20 EEG relevant to studies comparing participants, experiments, or laboratory results.