Name: rbdt: a computerized task system based in transposition for the continuous analysis of relational behavior dynamics in humans
Uploaded: 2021-07-17T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about RBDT: A Computerized Task System based in Transposition for the Continuous Analysis of Relational Behavior Dynamics in Humans at JoVE.com

Both protocols follow university guidelines to conduct behavioral research with human participants. RBDT software and the user&#39;s manual can be downloaded from https://osf.io/7xscj/
1. Experiment 1: Relational behavior under different relational criteria without restriction of active patterns of behavior
NOTE: Five elementary school children, between 10 to 11 years-old, volunteered to participate in this study, with the informed consent of their parents and teacher...

<ol>
	<li>K&#246;hler, W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Simple+structural+functions+in+the+chimpanzee+and+in+the+chicken.">Simple structural functions in the chimpanzee and in the chicken.</a> A source book of Gestalt psychology. , 217-227 (1918).</li><li>Spence, K. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+differential+response+in+animals+to+stimuli+varying+within+a+single+dimension.">The differential response in animals to stimuli varying within a single dimension.</a> Psychological Review. 44 (5), 430-444 (1937).</li><li>Lazareva, O. F., Wasserman, E. A., Young, M. 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E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparison+patterns:+An+experimental+study+of+transposition+in+children.">Comparison patterns: An experimental study of transposition in children.</a> Behavioural Processes. 171, 104024 (2020).</li><li>Andrade-Gonz&#225;lez, D. E., Le&#243;n, A., Hern&#225;ndez-Eslava, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tarea+de+transposici&#243;n+y+contactos+funcionales+de+comparaci&#243;n:+Una+revisi&#243;n+metodol&#243;gica+y+emp&#237;rica.">Tarea de transposici&#243;n y contactos funcionales de comparaci&#243;n: Una revisi&#243;n metodol&#243;gica y emp&#237;rica.</a> Acta Comportamentalia: Revista Latina de An&#225;lisis de Comportamiento. 28 (4), 539-565 (2020).</li><li>Lazareva, O. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Relational+learning+in+a+context+of+transposition:+A+review.">Relational learning in a context of transposition: A review.</a> Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior. 97 (2), 231-248 (2012).</li><li>Lazareva, O. F., Young, M. E., Wasserman, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+three-component+model+of+relational+responding+in+the+transposition+paradigm.">A three-component model of relational responding in the transposition paradigm.</a> Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition. 40 (1), 63-80 (2014).</li><li>Leighty, K. A., Grand, A. P., Pittman Courte, V. L., Maloney, M. A., Bettinger, T. 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D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transposition+in+adults+with+simultaneous+and+successive+stimulus+presentation.">Transposition in adults with simultaneous and successive stimulus presentation.</a> Journal of Experimental Psychology. 68 (1), 103-107 (1964).</li><li>Alberts, E., Ehrenfreund, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transposition+in+children+as+a+function+of+age.">Transposition in children as a function of age.</a> Journal of Experimental Psychology. 41 (1), 30-38 (1951).</li><li>Johnson, R. C., Zara, R. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Relational+learning+in+young+children.">Relational learning in young children.</a> Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology. 53 (6), 594-597 (1960).</li><li>Lazareva, O. F., Miner, M., Wasserman, E. A., Young, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Multiple-pair+training+enhances+transposition+in+pigeons.">Multiple-pair training enhances transposition in pigeons.</a> Learning &amp; Behavior. 36 (3), 174-187 (2008).</li><li>Marsh, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Relational+learning+in+the+pigeon.">Relational learning in the pigeon.</a> Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology. 64 (3), 519-521 (1967).</li><li>Pushkina, A. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanisms+of+Transposition+of+Relations+in+Preschool-Age+Children.">Mechanisms of Transposition of Relations in Preschool-Age Children.</a> Soviet Psychology. 9 (3), 213-234 (1971).</li><li>Jackson, T. A., Dominguez, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Studies+in+the+transposition+of+learning+by+children:+II.+Relative+vs.+absolute+choice+with+multi-dimensional+stimuli.">Studies in the transposition of learning by children: II. Relative vs. absolute choice with multi-dimensional stimuli.</a> Journal of Experimental Psychology. 24 (6), 630-639 (1939).</li><li>Jackson, T. A., Jerome, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Studies+in+the+transposition+of+learning+by+children:+IV.+A+preliminary+study+of+patternedness+in+discrimination+learning.">Studies in the transposition of learning by children: IV. A preliminary study of patternedness in discrimination learning.</a> Journal of Experimental Psychology. 26 (4), 432-439 (1940).</li><li>McKee, J. P., Riley, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Auditory+Transposition+in+Six-Year-Old+Children.">Auditory Transposition in Six-Year-Old Children.</a> Child Development. 33 (2), 469 (1962).</li><li>Riley, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Experiments+on+the+development+of+pitch+and+loudness+as+psychological+dimensions.">Experiments on the development of pitch and loudness as psychological dimensions.</a> Anthropology &amp; Medicine. 13 (5), 312-318 (1965).</li><li>Jackson, T. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Studies+In+The+Transposition+Of+Learning+By+Children:+III.+Transpositional+Response+As+A+Function+Of+The+Number+Of+Transposed+Dimensions.">Studies In The Transposition Of Learning By Children: III. Transpositional Response As A Function Of The Number Of Transposed Dimensions.</a> Journal of Experimental Psychology. 25 (1), 116-124 (1939).</li><li>Lawrence, D. H., Derivera, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evidence+for+relational+transposition.">Evidence for relational transposition.</a> Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology. 47 (6), 465 (1954).</li><li>Derenne, A., Garnett, A. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effects+of+Successive+and+Simultaneous+Stimulus+Presentations+on+Absolute+and+Relational+Stimulus+Control+in+Adult+Humans.">Effects of Successive and Simultaneous Stimulus Presentations on Absolute and Relational Stimulus Control in Adult Humans.</a> The Psychological Record. 66 (1), 165-175 (2016).</li><li>Stevenson, H. W., Iscoe, I., McConnell, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+developmental+study+of+transposition.">A developmental study of transposition.</a> Journal of Experimental Psychology. 49 (4), 278-280 (1955).</li><li>Yamazaki, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transposition+and+its+generalization+in+common+marmosets.">Transposition and its generalization in common marmosets.</a> Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition. , 20140505 (2014).</li><li>Kroupin, I., Carey, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Population+differences+in+performance+on+Relational+Match+to+Sample+(RMTS)+sometimes+reflect+differences+in+inductive+biases+alone.">Population differences in performance on Relational Match to Sample (RMTS) sometimes reflect differences in inductive biases alone.</a> Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences. 37, 75-83 (2021).</li><li>Wasserman, E. A., Young, M. E., Castro, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanisms+of+same-different+conceptualization:+entropy+happens.">Mechanisms of same-different conceptualization: entropy happens.</a> Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences. 37, 19-28 (2021).</li><li>Kotovsky, L., Gentner, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparison+and+Categorization+in+the+Development+of+Relational+Similarity.">Comparison and Categorization in the Development of Relational Similarity.</a> Child Development. 67 (6), 2797-2822 (1996).</li><li>Gibson, E. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Principles of perceptual learning and development. , (1969).</li><li>Lombardo, T. 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The proposed paradigm expands and deepens the systematic study of relational behavior in humans in the framework of the transposition paradigm. On the one hand, it allows the analysis of some factors and parameters previously studied in the area - e.g., stimulus modality2,5,10,23,26; difference or disparity between stimuli4,<...

The ability to recognize and respond based on the relational qualities of objects regardless of absolute attributes that each one possesses is named relational behavior. From an ecological view, relational behavior could be critical to the adjustment of the organisms, humans and not humans, to complex and dynamic natural environments. In social and ecological contexts, the organisms are constrained to respond to permutable aspects of the environment (e.g., food, predators) that vary in relation to given qualities (e.g., size, color, smell, the intensity of a given sound, etc.) of the objects, events, and other organisms. One of the most exciting and controversial issues in the history of behavioral science is the emergence of relational behavior. This is, do animals (non-humans and humans) perceive and respond to relational qualities of stimuli, regardless of the absolute attributes that each one possess?1,2,3,4,5. The affirmative answer implies that organisms&#39; responses integrates segments of stimulation that vary in degree in, at least, one relevant dimension or quality, such as the size or saturation of the stimuli6,7. In spite of the cited controversy, there is strong evidence that supports the emergence of relational behavior in animals4,8,9,10 and humans11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18.
Different paradigms have been used for the analysis of relational behavior. The most extensively employed has been the transposition task5,8. In the transposition task, the participant responds to a given stimulus in such a way that its relevant property (e.g., &#39;shorter than&#39;) is relative to the property of other stimuli in the context of a composed gradient of multiple values (at least three) in a given dimension (e.g., size). Different specific values of the stimuli can take different relational values within the gradient; this is, the specific value of each stimulus can permute its relational values in a given dimension. In simple words, the same stimuli could be &#39;shorter than&#39; or &#39;bigger than&#39; depending on comparison stimuli within a size gradient. Some of the reasons of why the transposition task has been a central paradigm for the study of relational behavior are the following: a) the paradigm is susceptible to be extended to different stimuli dimensions2,19,20,21,22,23,24,25; b) by consequence, it is useful for the study of relational behavior in different species (e.g., chickens, pigeons, chimpanzee, turtles, horses, humans)2,4,10,11,18,26; c) it clearly shows changes of the relational value of the stimuli9; d) the task allows parametrical variations of different relevant factors involved in relational behaviour9 and; e) the task allows to conduct comparative studies between different stimuli dimensions and different species or organisms27,28,29,30.
The study of relational behavior in animals is more extensive, systematic and has stronger evidence than in humans. The main reason of this is the &#39;ceiling effect&#39; frequently observed when the participants are humans11. In this context, recently challenging tasks have been proposed based on transposition for the study of relational behavior in this population6,7,11. In this way, the present work advances from the previous ones and presents a paradigm based on a modified-transposition task for the continuous analysis of relational behavior in humans.
Relational behavior under the transposition paradigm has been usually studied in simple choice situations, with only two stimulus options, and a reduced number of values along a single stimulus dimension in which participants are not allowed to display active patterns with respect to stimuli (e.g., inspecting, dragging, moving, and placing figures). Nevertheless, the experimental analysis of relational behavior might include situations with a) a greater number of stimulus values that allows to permutate or change the relational value of the stimuli; b) more than one relevant stimulus dimension and c) active behavioral patterns requirements, beyond the usually discrete dichotomous selections of the participants. These modifications would allow to evaluate factors not previously considered, mainly, the role of active patterns (e.g., inspecting, dragging, moving and placing figures) in relational behavior, and might prevent the &#34;ceiling effect&#34; observed when linguistic humans solve the standard task11.
RBDT allows the integration of patterns based on discrete responses (e.g., stimuli selection, placement of figures) and continuous responses (e.g., tracking of cursor movements, figure dragging) to analyze the emergence of relational behavior. Two different relational compounds, comprising two stimulus each one, show the same relational properties. They are presented as a sample to compose two new stimulus segments, by means of the active patterns of the participant. The task requires the relational comparability of the stimulus segments. This involves that each one of the two constructed stimulus-segments can be compared to one another as equivalent in terms of their relational properties, but also with respect to the two-sample stimulus-segments. The relations are identified in terms of &#34;greater than&#34; or &#34;less than&#34; magnitude (i.e., size or saturation).
To exemplify some of the possibilities of the experimental arrangements allowed by the presented paradigm, two experiments were conducted. The first experiment shows an exploration of relational behavior under different relational criteria without restriction of active patterns of behavior. The second experiment contrasts the dynamics of relational behavior under restriction of behavioral patterns adding a continuous recording and analysis of dragging and inspection activity with the mouse cursor.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Pentium Laptop Computer</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Monitor must be a minimum of 14&#34;, and windows processor.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Keyboard</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Optic Mouse</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>It is suggested to use a device other than the touchpad to be used as a mouse.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RbDT</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>https://osf.io/7xscj/</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

rbdt: a computerized task system based in transposition for the continuous analysis of relational behavior dynamics in humans

The most extensively employed paradigm for the analysis of relational behavior is the transposition task. Nevertheless, it has two important limitations for its use in humans. The first one is the &#34;ceiling effect&#34; reported in linguistic participants. The second limitation is that the standard transposition task, being a simple choice task between two stimuli, does not include active behavioral patterns and their recording, as relevant factors in emergence of relational behavior. In the present work, a challenging multi-object task based on transposition, integrated with recording software, is presented. This paradigm requires behavioral active patterns to form stimuli compounds with a given relational criteria. The paradigm is composed of three arrangements: a) a bank of stimuli, b) sample relational compounds, and c) comparison relational compounds. The task consists of the participant constructing two comparison relational compounds by dragging figures of a bank of stimuli with the same relation shown by the sample relational compounds. These factors conform an integrated system that can be manipulated in an individual or integrative manner. The software records discrete responses (e.g., stimuli selections, placements) and continuous responses (e.g., tracking of cursor movements, figure dragging). The obtained data, data analysis and graphical representations proposed are compatible with frameworks that assume an active nature of the attentional and perceptual processes and an integrated and continuous system between the perceiver and the environment. The proposed paradigm deepens the systematic study of relational behavior in humans in the framework of the transposition paradigm and expands it to a continuous analysis of interaction between active patterns and the dynamics of relational behavior.

EXPERIMENT 1: 
The behavioral continuum of each participant was analyzed. Analysis included comparison of excessive placements and variety of placement sequences, latencies in seconds between placements, choice of permutable, non-permutable and irrelevant stimuli, and correct (correct trials regardless of the number of placements or use of corrective trials) and accurate trials (correct trials with four placements and without corrective trials).
In the ordering task, whic...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about RBDT: A Computerized Task System based in Transposition for the Continuous Analysis of Relational Behavior Dynamics in Humans at JoVE.com

RBDT: A Computerized Task System based in Transposition for the Continuous Analysis of Relational Behavior Dynamics in Humans

RBDT integrates behavioral patterns based on discrete responses (e.g., stimuli selection, placement of figures) and continuous responses (e.g., tracking of cursor movements, figure dragging) to study relational behavior with humans. RBDT is a challenging task based on transposition, in which the participant sets up stimuli compounds with a relational criterion (more/less than).

The most extensively employed paradigm for the analysis of relational behavior is the transposition task. Nevertheless, it has two important limitations ...

One of the most exciting and controversial issues in the history of behavioral science is emergence of relational behavior. This is, do animals, non-humans, and humans perceive and respond to relational qualities of a stimuli, regardless of the absolute attributes that each one possess? In spite of the cited controversy, there is a strong evidence that supports the emergence of relational behavior in animals and humans.Different paradigms have been used for the analysis of relational behavior. The most extensively employed has been the transposition task. Relational behavior under the transposition paradigm has been naturally studied in simple choice situations with only two stimulus options.In which participants are not allowed to display patterns of activity with respect to stimuli. On the other hand, the study of relational behavior in animals is more extensive, systematic, and has a stronger evidence that in humans. The main reason of this is the ceiling effect, frequently observed when the participants are humans.In this context, a recently challenging task have been proposed based on transposition for the study of relational behavior in humans. In this way, the person work advances from the previous ones and presents RBDT, a paradigm based on the modified transposition task for the continuous analysis of relational behavior in humans. RBDT was assigned to allow the integration and continuous analysis of patterns of activity in the study of relational behavior.RBDT was programmed in Java. It automatically record responses and presents a graphical representation of data. The program to conduct experimental task will be available for download.In the experimental task, 15 stimuli subjects, SOs, consisting of different shapes were presented. Five of these SOs were relevant to the completion of the task and ten were irrelevant, as shown in the left part of figure one. Five different shapes where used as relevant stimulus objects.Pentagon, rectangle, horizontal rhomboid, parallelogram, and figure in V.10 different shapes were used as irrelevant stimulus subjects. Hexagon, triangle, circle, trapezoid, oval, rhombus, square, vertical rhomboid, trapezium, and irregular figure in L.SOs could vary in color saturation or size. In this experiment, as SOs, we employed four different degrees of saturation, black, dark gray, gray, and light gray.The size trimming constant. SOs were presented in a computer screen divided in three zones as shown in the left part of figure two. In the upper left part of the screen, the sum of sample relational components one and two, SRC one and two was located.Two different pairs of figures that set as relationship criteria were shown. Each pair exemplified two degrees of saturation's relationship, darker or lighter than with the same shape. In the lower left part of the screen, the sum of comparisons relational compounds one and two, SRC one and two was located.Two pairs of empty spaces were located in this zone. The participant had to form two new pairs of figures that would fill the exemplify criteria by choosing figures from the bank. On the right side of the screen is a bank zone.In each trial, the bank contain 18 different figures that acquire different relational properties, depending on the criteria exemplified by the SRC one and two. Six figures made the criteria set by the SRC permutable figures. Six figures were eligible to be used correctly, but under another criteria, non-permutable figure.And six figures did not meet the criteria set by the SRC, irrelevant figures. To place the figures in the CRC zone, the participant had to select the figure with the mouse pointer and drag it to the blank spaces in the CRC zone. Placement of figures could be in different sequences and they could be changed.To simplify, some of the possibilities of the experimental arrangements allowed by RBDT, two experiments were conducted. The first experiment shows an exploration of relational behavior under different relational criteria without restriction of active patterns of behavior. The second experiment contrasts the dynamics of relational behavior on the restriction of behavioral patterns adding a continuous recording and analysis of dragging an inspection activity with the mouse cursor.The behavioral continuum of each participant was analyzed. Analysis included comparison of excessive placements, and variety of placement sequences. Latencies in seconds between placements, choice of permutable, non-permutable, and irrelevant stimuli, and correct and accurate trials.For figure five to seven, the first upper panel show sequences of placement in the CRCs. Each bar represents a trial. Inside this, its color represents one of four empty spaces of CRCs.Upper left, red, upper right, green, lower left, gray, lower right, purple. Vertical color variation in each bar indicates sequence of placements in each trial. The height of the bars indicates the use of excessive placements or the use of correction trials.Two point sequences are shown at the top of the first panel. Blue dots, first sequence represent accurate trials. This is correct trials with four placements and without corrective trials.Black dots, second sequence represent correct trials. This is correct trials regardless of the number of placements or use of corrective trials. The second, lower panel of the figures shows the type of stimuli chosen in each trial.Permutable, red, non-permutable, green, and irrelevant, gray. There are several aspects of the figures that are important to notice to account for the differences in relational behavior for each participant. One, uninterrupted sequences of at least three accurate and correct trials are important since they're an indicator of the establishment of relational behavior.Two, variation in the horizontal colored tiles in the first spaniel. This indicates variety in the placement sequences instead of single color segments that indicate that a participant did not vary the placement sequences from trial to trial, which would be considered a stereotypical patterns. Three, the heights of the bar.Their increases and decreases. This indicates excessive placement to conform the CRC and the use of corrective trials. Four, predominance of red color in the second panel, which indicates predominance of choosing permutable stimuli.In figure 13, the dragon figure stroke the cursor blue points, course of movements, stress points, and the cursors are both green points are shown for each participant road experiment two. In both participants, figures serving drag from the bank zone to the CRC zone, and in some cases is to illustrate and test figure dragging is observe inside the CRC zone. In P1, less density of red points is observed.This is less cursor movement. Furthermore, red points are observed to a greater extent in the CRC and bank zones. Green points are observed only during S1.Later disappears, and then series of red points increases, but not to the same degree as in P2.In participant with restriction of local patterns, P2, red point are observe in the CRC zone.This indicates that the participant move the cursor within this zone. Even from S3, movements are observed in the CRC zone. In addition to the movements observed in the bank zone, the green points that indicate that the cursor was in repose are observed to a greater extent during S1 and S2.Later disappear almost completely, and the density of red point increases.The proposed paradigm is especially useful in the framework of approaches that assume. A, an active measure of the attentional and perceptual processes, and B, an integrated and continuing system between the perceiver. This is a active patterns and the environment.This is the relation between a stimuli. RPDT allows to manipulate four groups of factors related to the arrangement of stimuli and behavioral patterns. These are factor related to the sample relational compounds, factor related to comparison relational compounds, factor related to the bank of stimuli, and factor related to the active behavioral patterns.These four groups of factors come form an integrated system that can be manipulated and studied in an individual or in integrative manner. The obtain data, data analysis and graphical representations allow to investigate the role of the behavioral patterns, such as inspection and tracking figures, movement sequences, and variety of patterns in the emergence of relational behavior.

rbdt-computerized-task-system-based-transposition-for-continuous

Research

JoVE Journal

Behavior

The Crossmodal Congruency Task as a Means to Obtain an Objective Behavioral Measure in the Rubber Hand Illusion Paradigm

The rubber hand illusion (RHI) is a popular experimental paradigm. Participants view touch on an artificial rubber hand while the participants' own hidden hand is touched. If the viewed and felt touches are given at the same time then this is sufficient to induce the compelling experience that the rubber hand is one's own hand. The RHI can be used to investigate exactly how the brain constructs distinct body representations for one's own body. Such representations are crucial for successful interactions with the external world. To obtain a subjective measure of the RHI, researchers typically ask participants to rate statements such as "I felt as if the rubber hand were my hand". Here we demonstrate how the crossmodal congruency task can be used to obtain an objective behavioral measure within this paradigm.
The variant of the crossmodal congruency task we employ involves the presentation of tactile targets and visual distractors. Targets and distractors are spatially congruent (i.e. same finger) on some trials and incongruent (i.e. different finger) on others. The difference in performance between incongruent and congruent trials - the crossmodal congruency effect (CCE) - indexes multisensory interactions. Importantly, the CCE is modulated both by viewing a hand as well as the synchrony of viewed and felt touch which are both crucial factors for the RHI.
The use of the crossmodal congruency task within the RHI paradigm has several advantages. It is a simple behavioral measure which can be repeated many times and which can be obtained during the illusion while participants view the artificial hand. Furthermore, this measure is not susceptible to observer and experimenter biases. The combination of the RHI paradigm with the crossmodal congruency task allows in particular for the investigation of multisensory processes which are critical for modulations of body representations as in the RHI.

We demonstrate how an objective measure can be employed in the widely employed rubber hand illusion paradigm. This measure is obtained by modifying the well-established crossmodal congruency task. This task allows the investigation of multisensory processes which are critical for modulations of body representations as in the rubber hand illusion.

The rubber hand illusion (RHI) is a popular experimental paradigm. Participants view touch on an artificial rubber hand while the participants' own hidden ...

Contextual and Cued Fear Conditioning Test Using a Video Analyzing System in Mice

The contextual and cued fear conditioning test is one of the behavioral tests that assesses the ability of mice to learn and remember an association between environmental cues and aversive experiences. In this test, mice are placed into a conditioning chamber and are given parings of a conditioned stimulus (an auditory cue) and an aversive unconditioned stimulus (an electric footshock). After a delay time, the mice are exposed to the same conditioning chamber and a differently shaped chamber with presentation of the auditory cue. Freezing behavior during the test is measured as an index of fear memory. To analyze the behavior automatically, we have developed a video analyzing system using the ImageFZ application software program, which is available as a free download at http://www.mouse-phenotype.org/. Here, to show the details of our protocol, we demonstrate our procedure for the contextual and cued fear conditioning test in C57BL/6J mice using the ImageFZ system. In addition, we validated our protocol and the video analyzing system performance by comparing freezing time measured by the ImageFZ system or a photobeam-based computer measurement system with that scored by a human observer. As shown in our representative results, the data obtained by ImageFZ were similar to those analyzed by a human observer, indicating that the behavioral analysis using the ImageFZ system is highly reliable. The present movie article provides detailed information regarding the test procedures and will promote understanding of the experimental situation.

This article presents a protocol for a contextual and cued fear conditioning test using a video analyzing system to assess fear learning and memory in mice.

The contextual and cued fear conditioning test is one of the behavioral tests that assesses the ability of mice to learn and remember an association ...

Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia

Adolescence is a critical developmental period where the early symptoms of schizophrenia frequently emerge. First-degree relatives of people with schizophrenia who are at familial high risk (FHR) may show similar cognitive and emotional changes. However, the neurological changes underlying the emergence of these symptoms remain unclear. This study sought to identify differences in frontal, striatal, and limbic regions in children and adolescents with FHR using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Groups of 21 children and adolescents at FHR and 21 healthy controls completed an emotional oddball task that relied on selective attention and the suppression of task-irrelevant emotional information. The standard oddball task was modified to include aversive and neutral distractors in order to examine potential group differences in both emotional and executive processing. This task was designed specifically to allow for children and adolescents to complete by keeping the difficulty and emotional image content age-appropriate. Furthermore, we demonstrate a technique for suitable fMRI registration for children and adolescent participants. This paradigm may also be applied in future studies to measure changes in neural activity in other populations with hypothesized developmental changes in executive and emotional processing.

This paper describes how to use the emotional oddball task and fMRI to measure brain activation in children and adolescents at familial high risk for schizophrenia (FHR).&#160;FMRI was used to measure differences in fronto-striato-limbic regions during an emotional oddball task. Children with FHR exhibited abnormal functional activation during adolescence.

Adolescence is a critical developmental period where the early symptoms of schizophrenia frequently emerge. First-degree relatives of people with ...

The Attentional Set Shifting Task: A Measure of Cognitive Flexibility in Mice

Cognitive impairment, particularly involving dysfunction of circuitry within the prefrontal cortex (PFC), represents a core feature of many neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Deficits in cognitive function also represent the most difficult symptom domain&#160;to successfully treat, as serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants have only modest effects. Functional neuroimaging studies and postmortem analysis of human brain tissue implicate the PFC as being a primary region of dysregulation in patients with these disorders. However, preclinical behavioral assays used to assess these deficits in mouse models which can be readily manipulated genetically and could provide the basis for studies of new treatment avenues have been underutilized. Here we describe the adaptation of a behavioral assay, the attentional set shifting task (AST), to be performed in mice to assess prefrontal cortex mediated cognitive deficits. The neural circuits underlying behavior during the AST are highly conserved across humans, nonhuman primates and rodents, providing excellent face, construct and predictive validity.

The goal of this protocol is to perform a behavioral assay such as the attentional set shifting task (AST) to assess prefrontal cortex-mediated cognitive flexibility in mice.

Cognitive impairment, particularly involving dysfunction of circuitry within the prefrontal cortex (PFC), represents a core feature of many ...

Evaluation of a Smartphone-based Human Activity Recognition System in a Daily Living Environment

An evaluation method that includes continuous activities in a daily-living environment was developed for Wearable Mobility Monitoring Systems (WMMS) that attempt to recognize user activities. Participants performed a pre-determined set of daily living actions within a continuous test circuit that included mobility activities (walking, standing, sitting, lying, ascending/descending stairs), daily living tasks (combing hair, brushing teeth, preparing food, eating, washing dishes), and subtle environment changes (opening doors, using an elevator, walking on inclines, traversing staircase landings, walking outdoors). 
To evaluate WMMS performance on this circuit, fifteen able-bodied participants completed the tasks while wearing a smartphone at their right front pelvis. The WMMS application used smartphone accelerometer and gyroscope signals to classify activity states. A gold standard comparison data set was created by video-recording each trial and manually logging activity onset times. Gold standard and WMMS data were analyzed offline. Three classification sets were calculated for each circuit: (i) mobility or immobility, ii) sit, stand, lie, or walking, and (iii) sit, stand, lie, walking, climbing stairs, or small standing movement. Sensitivities, specificities, and F-Scores for activity categorization and changes-of-state were calculated.
The mobile versus immobile classification set had a sensitivity of 86.30% &#177; 7.2% and specificity of 98.96% &#177; 0.6%, while the second prediction set had a sensitivity of 88.35% &#177; 7.80% and specificity of 98.51% &#177; 0.62%. For the third classification set, sensitivity was 84.92% &#177; 6.38% and specificity was 98.17 &#177; 0.62. F1 scores for the first, second and third classification sets were 86.17 &#177; 6.3, 80.19 &#177; 6.36, and 78.42 &#177; 5.96, respectively. This demonstrates that WMMS performance depends on the evaluation protocol in addition to the algorithms. The demonstrated protocol can be used and tailored for evaluating human activity recognition systems in rehabilitation medicine where mobility monitoring may be beneficial in clinical decision-making.

A standardized evaluation method was developed for Wearable Mobility Monitoring Systems (WMMS) that includes continuous activities in a realistic daily living environment. Testing with a series of daily living activities can decrease activity recognition sensitivity; therefore, realistic testing circuits are encouraged for valid evaluation of WMMS performance.

An evaluation method that includes continuous activities in a daily-living environment was developed for Wearable Mobility Monitoring Systems (WMMS) that ...

Measuring Delay Discounting in Humans Using an Adjusting Amount Task

Delay discounting refers to a decline in the value of a reward when it is delayed relative to when it is immediately available. Delay discounting tasks are used to identify indifference points, which reflect equal preference for two dichotomous reward alternatives differing in both delay and magnitude. Indifference points are key to assessing the shape of a delay-discounting gradient because they allow us to isolate the effect of delay on value. For example, if at a 1 week delay and a maximum of $1,000, the indifference point is at $700 we know that, for that participant, a 1-week delay corresponds to a 30% reduction in value. This video outlines an adjusting amount delay-discounting task that identifies indifference points relatively quickly and is inexpensive and easy to administer. Once data have been collected, non-linear regression techniques are typically used to generate discounting curves. The steepness of the discounting curve reflects the degree of impulsive choice of a group or individual. These techniques have been used with a wide range of commodities and have identified populations that are relatively impulsive. For example, people with substance abuse problems discount delayed rewards more steeply than control participants. Although degree of discounting varies as a function of the commodity examined, discounting of one commodity correlates with discounting of other commodities, which suggests that discounting may be a persistent pattern of behavior1.

Delay discounting refers to a decline in the value of a reward when it is delayed relative to when it is immediately available. We outline a computer-based delay discounting task that is easy to implement and allows for the quantification of the degree of delay discounting in human participants.

Delay discounting refers to a decline in the value of a reward when it is delayed relative to when it is immediately available. Delay discounting tasks ...

The Knob Supination Task: A Semi-automated Method for Assessing Forelimb Function in Rats

Tasks that accurately measure dexterity in animal models are critical to understand hand function. Current rat behavioral tasks that measure dexterity largely use video analysis of reaching or food manipulation. While these tasks are easy to implement and are robust across disease models, they are subjective and laborious for the experimenter. Automating traditional tasks or creating new automated tasks can make the tasks more efficient, objective, and quantitative. Since rats are less dexterous than primates, central nervous system (CNS) injury produces more subtle deficits in dexterity, however, supination is highly affected in rodents and crucial to hand function in primates. Therefore, we designed a semi-automated task that measures forelimb supination in rats. Rats are trained to reach and grasp a knob-shaped manipulandum and turn the manipulandum in supination to receive a reward. Rats can acquire the skill within 20 &plusmn; 5 days. While the early part of training is highly supervised, much of the training is done without direct supervision. The task reliably and reproducibly captures subtle deficits after injury and shows functional recovery that accurately reflects clinical recovery curves. Analysis of data is performed by specialized software through a graphical user interface that is designed to be intuitive. We also give solutions to common problems encountered during training, and show that minor corrections to behavior early in training produce reliable acquisition of supination. Thus, the knob supination task provides efficient and quantitative evaluation of a critical movement for dexterity in rats.

This manuscript describes a semi-automated task that quantifies supination in rats. Rats reach, grasp, and supinate a spherical manipulandum. The rat is rewarded with a pellet if the turn angle exceeds a criterion set by the user. This task increases throughput, sensitivity to injury, and objectivity compared to traditional tasks.

Tasks that accurately measure dexterity in animal models are critical to understand hand function. Current rat behavioral tasks that measure dexterity ...

Frame-by-Frame Video Analysis of Idiosyncratic Reach-to-Grasp Movements in Humans

Prehension, the act of reaching to grasp an object, is central to the human experience. We use it to feed ourselves, groom ourselves, and manipulate objects and tools in our environment. Such behaviors are impaired by many sensorimotor disorders, yet our current understanding of their neural control is far from complete. Current technologies for investigating human reach-to-grasp movements often utilize motion tracking systems that can be expensive, require the attachment of markers or sensors to the hands, impede natural movement and sensory feedback, and provide kinematic output that can be difficult to interpret. While generally effective for studying the stereotypical reach-to-grasp movements of healthy sighted adults, many of these technologies face additional limitations when attempting to study the unpredictable and idiosyncratic reach-to-grasp movements of young infants, unsighted adults, and patients with neurological disorders. Thus, we present a novel, inexpensive, and highly reliable yet flexible protocol for quantifying the temporal and kinematic structure of idiosyncratic reach-to-grasp movements in humans. High speed video cameras capture multiple views of the reach-to-grasp movement. Frame-by-frame video analysis is then used to document the timing and magnitude of pre-defined behavioral events such as movement start, collection, maximum height, peak aperture, first contact, and final grasp. The temporal structure of the movement is reconstructed by documenting the relative frame number of each event while the kinematic structure of the hand is quantified using the ruler or measure function in photo editing software to calibrate 2 dimensional linear distances between two body parts or between a body part and the target. Frame-by-frame video analysis can provide a quantitative and comprehensive description of idiosyncratic reach-to-grasp movements and will enable researchers to expand their area of investigation to include a greater range of naturalistic prehensile behaviors, guided by a wider variety of sensory modalities, in both healthy and clinical populations.

This protocol describes how to use frame-by-frame video analysis to quantify idiosyncratic reach-to-grasp movements in humans. A comparative analysis of reaching in sighted versus unsighted healthy adults is used to demonstrate the technique, but the method can also be applied to the study of developmental and clinical populations.

Prehension, the act of reaching to grasp an object, is central to the human experience. We use it to feed ourselves, groom ourselves, and manipulate ...

Computerized Adaptive Testing System of Functional Assessment of Stroke

The computerized adaptive testing system of the functional assessment of stroke (CAT-FAS) can simultaneously assess four functions (motor functions of the upper and lower extremities, postural control, and basic activities of daily living) with sufficient reliability and administrative efficiency. CAT, a modern measurement method, aims to provide a reliable estimate of the examinee's level of function rapidly. CAT administers only a few items whose item difficulties match an examinee's level of function and, thus, the administered items of CAT can provide sufficient information to reliably estimate the examinee's level of function in a short time. The CAT-FAS was developed through four steps: (1) determining the item bank, (2) determining the stopping rules, (3) validating the CAT-FAS, and (4) establishing a platform of online administration. The results of this study indicate that the CAT-FAS has sufficient administrative efficiency (average number of items = 8.5) and reliability (group-level Rasch reliability: 0.88 - 0.93; individual-level Rasch reliability: &#8805;70% of patients had Rasch reliability score &#8805;0.90) to simultaneously assess four functions in patients with stroke. In addition, because the CAT-FAS is a computer-based test, the CAT-FAS has three additional advantages: the automatic calculation of scores, the immediate storage of data, and the easy exporting of data. These advantages of the CAT-FAS will be beneficial to data management for clinicians and researchers.

Here, we present a protocol to develop the computerized adaptive testing system of the functional assessment of stroke (CAT-FAS). The CAT-FAS can simultaneously assess four functions (two motor functions [upper and lower extremities], postural control, and basic activities of daily living) with sufficient reliability and administrative efficiency.

The computerized adaptive testing system of the functional assessment of stroke (CAT-FAS) can simultaneously assess four functions (motor functions of the ...

A System for Tracking the Dynamics of Social Preference Behavior in Small Rodents

Exploring the neurobiological mechanisms of social behavior requires behavioral tests that can be applied to animal models in an unbiased and observer-independent manner. Since the beginning of the millennium, the three-chamber test has been widely used as a standard paradigm to evaluate sociability (social preference) and social novelty preference in small rodents. However, this test suffers from multiple limitations, including its dependence on spatial navigation and negligence of behavioral dynamics. Presented and validated here is a novel experimental system that offers an alternative to the three-chamber test, while also solving some of its caveats. The system requires a simple and affordable experimental apparatus and publicly available open-source analysis system, which automatically measures and analyzes multiple behavioral parameters at individual and population levels. It allows detailed analysis of the behavioral dynamics of small rodents during any social discrimination test. We demonstrate the efficiency of the system in analyzing the dynamics of social behavior during the social preference and social novelty preference tests as performed by adult male mice and rats. Moreover, we validate the ability of the system to reveal modified dynamics of social behavior in rodents following manipulations such as whisker trimming. Thus, the system allows for rigorous investigation of social behavior and dynamics in small rodent models and supports more accurate comparisons between strains, conditions, and treatments.

Described here is a novel automated experimental system that offers an alternative to the three-chamber test and also solves several caveats. This system supplies multiple behavioral parameters that enable rigorous analysis of small rodent behavioral dynamics during the social preference and social novelty preference tests.