Motion analysis of dyadic talk during joint search and decision-making – A replication study

Human interaction frequently includes decision-making processes during which interactants call on verbal and non-verbal resources to manage the flow of interaction. In 2017, Stevanovic et al. carried out pioneering work, analyzing the unfolding of moment-by-moment dynamics by investigating the behavioral matching during search and decision-making phases. By studying the similarities in the participant's body sway during a conversation task in Finnish, the authors showed higher behavioral matching during decision phases than during search phases. The purpose of this research was to investigate the whole-body sway and its coordination during joint search and decision-making phases as a replication of the study by Stevanovic et al. (2017) but based on a German population. Overall, 12 dyads participated in this study and were asked to decide on 8 adjectives, starting with a pre-defined letter, to describe a fictional character. During this joint-decision task (duration: 206.46 ± 116.08 s), body sway of both interactants was measured using a 3D motion capture system and center of mass (COM) accelerations were computed. Matching of body sway was calculated using a windowed cross correlation (WCC) of the COM accelerations. A total of 101 search and 101 decision phases were identified for the 12 dyads. Significant higher COM accelerations (5.4*10⁻³ vs. 3.7*10⁻³ mm/s², p < 0.001) and WCC coefficients (0.47 vs. 0.45, p = 0.043) were found during decision-making phases than during search phases. The results suggest that body sway is one of the resources humans use to communicate the arrival at a joint decision. These findings contribute to a better understanding of interpersonal coordination from a human movement science perspective.     

The neural pathways mediating quiet-biting attack behavior from the hypothalamus in the cat: A functional autoradiographic study

Electrical stimulation of the region of the lateral hypothalamus produced a consistent form of quiet-biting attack behavior in cats. In one series of experiments, cats, implanted with electrodes from which attack had been elicited, were anesthetized and then were injected with a bolus of ¹⁴C-2-deoxyglucose at the same time as electrical stimulation was delivered through the attack electrodes. Brains prepared for X-ray autoradiography revealed that lateral hypothalamic stimulation activated the classical medial forebrain bundle pathway supplying the septal region, diagonal band, lateral preoptic area, and ventral tegmental region. Stimulation of quiet-attack sites in perifornical hypothalamus resulted in the activation of a much more extensive projection system which included the central and lateral tegmental fields of the midbrain and pons, and central gray region, as well as the structures described above. In a second series of experiments, ³H-leucine was placed into the region of the electrode tip from which attack was elicited in order to identify more precisely the pathways arising from that site. In general, tritiated amino acid radioautography replicated the ¹⁴C-2-deoxyglucose findings. In addition, the amino acid radioautographic data revealed the presence of extensive projections from perifornical hypothalamus to such pontine structures as the nucleus locus coeruleus, motor nucleus of NV , and the lateral pontine tegmental field. The functional connections between the lateral hypothalamic “attack region” and lateral preoptic zone were also confirmed by electrophysiological methods.     

Nomogram for the tetrachoric correlation coefficient

This article offers a new nomogram for the tetrachoric correlation coefficient, together with a correcting table. The development of the nomogram is described and directions for its use are included.     

Table of criterion values (β) used in signal detection theory

A table of criterion values for use with the theory of signal detection (TSD) is presented. Criterion values (β) are presented for varying proportions of hits and false alarms. A brief explanation of signal detection theory is given, and the measures for sensory sensitivity (d′) and response criterion (β) are described.     

The representation of depth in children's drawings of a table

Willats (1977) analysed developments in the drawing of a table in terms of the projection system in which the table top was represented, and concluded that representation of depth in drawing goes through a series of discrete stages, each of which can be identified with a projection system. A partial replication of Willats' study is presented here, using a much larger sample. The relationship between age and use of projection system found by Willats was in general supported. Not all the “stages” were found to be discrete, however, and an examination of the way in which the table tops were drawn shows that whilst the majority of older children appeared to use perspective, they did not use it correctly. A method is given by which tables that are drawn as if from a central viewpoint can be formally classified. It is concluded that development in the understanding of the representation of depth is not very closely linked to development in the use of projection systems.     

The ontogenesis of lateralized behavior in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus

For the first time, the development of paw preferences in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, is explored. Twelve cats were tested at ages 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year on a challenge requiring them to use one of their paws to retrieve food. To control for repeated testing of the same cats at different ages, the subjects' paw preferences were compared with those of cats tested just once, at 6 months (n = 11) or 1 year (n = 14) of age. Analysis revealed a significant effect of age on the distribution of cats' paw preferences. Cats were significantly more likely to be ambilateral than paw preferent at 12 weeks and at 6 months but more likely to display a lateral bias in paw use at 1 year. There was a significant positive correlation between cats' paw preferences at 6 months and at 1 year. Lateralized behavior was strongly sex related. Females had a greater preference for using their right paw; males were significantly more inclined to adopt their left. Analysis revealed no significant difference in the direction or strength of paw preferences of cats tested longitudinally or cross-sectionally at 6 months or 1 year of age. Findings indicate that cats develop paw preferences by 1 year and hint at a relative stability in preferred paw use over time. The strong sex effect observed strengthens the case for the influence of a biological mechanism in the emergence of motor asymmetry in cats.     

The Consistent Acceleration of Lifted Objects

In examining films of lifting movements in a study of the size-weight illusion (Davis & Roberts, 1976), a consistency was noted in the values obtained for the maximum accelerations of the objects lifted. While at first surprising, this finding can be embedded significantly in theories relating to kinesthetic illusions and the perception of weight and to theories on the control of general physical movement. This study was designed to confirm its existence. Twenty-four subjects were filmed lifting four objects differing in size, shape, substance, color, and weight. The film was analyzed frame-by-frame and the data were subjected to a two-way analysis of variance. Subjects, while differing from one another, were consistent in the maximum accelerations they applied to the three heaviest of the four objects. The accelerations of the lightest object differed significantly from the accelerations of the other three, but it seems likely that this was due to the experimental task itself.     

Psychosocial mediators of a theory-based resistance training maintenance intervention for prediabetic adults

Objective: Examine psychosocial mediators of the effects of high vs. low-dose resistance training (RT) maintenance interventions among older (ages 50–69), overweight and pre-diabetic adults.

Design: Participants (N = 123) completed a three-month supervised RT initiation phase and were subsequently randomised (time 1) to high or low-dose six-month unsupervised RT maintenance interventions (time 2), followed by a six-month no-contact phase (time 3).

Main Outcome Measures: Online measures of putative mediators and RT behaviour.

Results: RT intervention condition (high vs. low dose) had significant effects on change from time 1 to time 2 in behavioural expectation, self-regulation and perceived satisfaction (f² = .04–.08), but not outcome expectancies, RT strategies or behavioural intentions (f² ≤ .02). Change in each of the putative mediators, except for outcome expectancies (f² ≤ .02), had significant effects on RT behaviour at times 2 (f² = .12–.27) and 3 (f² = .23–.40). In a multiple mediation model, behavioural expectation (f² = .11) and self-regulation (f² = .06) mediated the effects of RT intervention condition on time 2 RT behaviour, whereas perceived satisfaction did not (f² = .01). Self-regulation was a significant mediator of intervention effects on time 3 RT behaviour (f² = .11), but behavioural expectation and perceived satisfaction were not (f² = .04).

Conclusions: Findings suggest that behavioural expectation and self-regulation are appropriate targets for RT maintenance interventions among at-risk older adults.     

Determining a child's strong and weak areas of functioning on the Stanford-Binet: A simplication of Sattler's SD method

Interpreting areas of strength and weakness on the Stanford-Binet presents problems for many clinicians. Sattler's SD method for determining normal variability provides an objective approach for dealing with this issue, and is thus a valuable tool for Binet interpretation. However, Sattler's procedure is beset by practical problems that limit its usefulness. The aim of this paper was to develop a simplification of Sattler's technique (in the form of a table) to make it easier to use and to apply to the Binet profile of any child tested. An illustration is included to demonstrate the role of the table for generating hypotheses about a child's strong and weak areas of functioning. Cautions are discussed regarding the application of the interpretive procedure.     

The consistent acceleration of lifted objects: implications for kinesthetic illusions and the perception of weight

In examining films of lifting movements in a study of the size-weight illusion (Davis & Roberts, 1976) a consistency was noted in the values obtained for the maximum accelerations of the objects lifted. While at first surprising, this finding can be embedded significantly in theories relating to kinesthetic illusions and the perception of weight and to theories on the control of general physical movement. This study was designed to confirm its existence. Twenty-four subjects were filmed lifting four objects differing in size, shape, substance, color, and weight. The film was analyzed frame-by-frame and the data were subjected to a two-way analysis of variance. Subjects, while differing from one another, were consistent in the maximum accelerations they applied to the three heaviest of the four objects. The accelerations of the lightest object differed significantly from the accelerations of the other three, but it seems likely that this was due to the experimental task itself.     

The construction of a programmable olfactometer

A new type of multichannel olfactometer is described, and the results are given for gas chromatographical standardization of this equipment. The olfactometer keeps 24 odorous substances available for presentation, consecutively, two per trial, or combinations of the two. It produces concentrations of odorous gas in the air between 1 × l0^?5 and 1 × 10^?11 molecules/liter. The principle of construction is gradual dilution of an odorous gas in streaming purified air. The design provides for electronic control of stimulus sequence and response registration via punched tapes.     

Mechanical work in shuttle running as a function of speed and distance: Implications for power and efficiency

Biomechanics (and energetics) of human locomotion are generally studied at constant, linear, speed whereas less is known about running mechanics when velocity changes (because of accelerations, decelerations or changes of direction). The aim of this study was to calculate mechanical work and power and to estimate mechanical efficiency in shuttle runs (as an example of non-steady locomotion) executed at different speeds and over different distances. A motion capture system was utilised to record the movements of the body segments while 20 athletes performed shuttle runs (with a 180° change of direction) at three paces (slow, moderate and maximal) and over four distances (5, 10, 15 and 20 m). Based on these data the internal, external and total work of shuttle running were calculated as well as mechanical power; mechanical efficiency was then estimated based on values of energy cost reported in the literature. Total mechanical work was larger the faster the velocity and the shorter the distance covered (range: 2.3–3.7 J m⁻¹ kg⁻¹) whereas mechanical efficiency showed an opposite trend (range: 0.20–0.50). At maximal speed, over all distances, braking/negative power (about 21 W kg⁻¹) was twice the positive power. Present results highlight that running humans can exert a larger negative than positive power, in agreement with the fundamental proprieties of skeletal muscles in vivo. A greater relative importance of the constant speed phase, associated to a better exploitation of the elastic energy saving mechanism, is likely responsible of the higher efficiency at the longer shuttle distances.     

A system for behavioral evaluation of the visual capacities of cats

An automated testing apparatus for evaluating the visual capacities of cats is described. It features ease of training, reliability, and flexibility in the type of stimuli that can be presented. For presentation of complex visual stimuli, a closed circuit television display system has been devised that is compatible with the behavioral testing apparatus.     

Infanticide in rural male cats (Felis catus L.) as a reproductive mating tactic

Here we report six cases of infanticide in the domestic cat directly observed in populations located in the rural environment. This is the first time that infanticide in domestic cats has been witnessed directly and described. All infanticidal males were fully adult and sexually mature unknown males. All kittens killed were within their first week of life. The killing pattern was generally the same as that described in lions. All females reacted aggressively but could not prevent the infanticide. Three hypotheses are discussed : (1) infanticide is a remnant of cat male reproductive strategy selected in the original environment; (2) the conditions of the rural environment have created a selection pressure encouraging a polymorphism of infanticidal and noninfanticidal males to evolve; (3) infanticide is an abnormal behaviour caused by environmental conditions such as human disturbance. Aggr. Behav. 25:445–449, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

A table to aid in the computation of fisher's “t” function for comparison of two means

A table to facilitate the computation of Fisher'st function for the comparison of two means is presented. The derivations leading to the construction of the table, and the necessary instructions for its use, are given.     

Operant control of vocal behavior in the cat

Evidence of operant control of vocal behavior in the cat is presented: (1) On mult FR 12 S^Δ schedule, cats miaowed rapidly during periods of S^D and much less or not at all during S^Δ. (2) This control was re-established following reversal of stimuli. (3) The frequency distribution of response durations was shifted to both shorter and longer values by the differential reinforcement of shorter or longer response durations respectively. Since both the frequency and duration of vocal responses were shown to be under the control of the schedule of reinforcement, it is concluded that at least some of the vocal behavior of the cat is susceptible to operant control.     

Fetal neurobehavioral development: a tale of two cities

Longitudinal neurobehavioral development was examined in 237 fetuses of low-risk pregnancies from 2 distinct populations--Baltimore, Maryland, and Lima. Peru--at 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, and 38 weeks gestation. Data were based on digitized Doppler-based fetal heart rate (FHR) and fetal movement (FM). In both groups. FHR declined while variability, episodic accelerations, and FM-FHR coupling increased, with discontinuities evident between 28 and 32 weeks gestation. Fetuses in Lima had higher FHR and lower variability, accelerations, and FM-FHR coupling. Declines in trajectories were typically observed 1 month sooner in Lima, which magnified these disparities. Motor activity differences were less consistent. No sex differences in fetal neurobehaviors were detected. It is concluded that population factors can influence the developmental niche of the fetus.     

Using topic modeling to develop multi-level descriptions of naturalistic driving data from drivers with and without sleep apnea

One challenge in using naturalistic driving data is producing a holistic analysis of these highly variable datasets. Typical analyses focus on isolated events, such as large g-force accelerations indicating a possible near-crash. Examining isolated events is ill-suited for identifying patterns in continuous activities such as maintaining vehicle control. We present an alternative approach that converts driving data into a text representation and uses topic modeling to identify patterns across the dataset. This approach enables the discovery of non-linear patterns, reduces the dimensionality of the data, and captures subtle variations in driver behavior. In this study topic models were used to concisely described patterns in trips from drivers with and without untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The analysis included 5000 trips (50 trips from 100 drivers; 66 drivers with OSA; 34 comparison drivers). Trips were treated as documents, and speed and acceleration data from the trips were converted to “driving words.” The identified patterns, called topics, were determined based on regularities in the co-occurrence of the driving words within the trips. This representation was used in random forest models to predict the driver condition (i.e., OSA or comparison) for each trip. Models with 10, 15 and 20 topics had better accuracy in predicting the driver condition, with a maximum AUC of 0.73 for a model with 20 topics. Trips from drivers with OSA were more likely to be defined by topics for smaller lateral accelerations at low speeds. The results demonstrate topic modeling as a useful tool for extracting meaningful information from naturalistic driving datasets.     

Computing maximum likelihood estimates of loglinear models from marginal sums with special attention to loglinear item response theory

In this paper algorithms are described for obtaining the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters in loglinear models. Modified versions of the iterative proportional fitting and Newton-Raphson algorithms are described that work on the minimal sufficient statistics rather than on the usual counts in the full contingency table. This is desirable if the contingency table becomes too large to store. Special attention is given to loglinear IRT models that are used for the analysis of educational and psychological test data. To calculate the necessary expected sufficient statistics and other marginal sums of the table, a method is described that avoids summing large numbers of elementary cell frequencies by writing them out in terms of multiplicative model parameters and applying the distributive law of multiplication over summation. These algorithms are used in the computer program LOGIMO. The modified algorithms are illustrated with simulated data. The author thanks Wim J. van der Linden, Gideon J. Mellenberh and Namburi S. Raju for their valuable comments and suggestions.     

Principal postural acceleration and myoelectric activity: Interrelationship and relevance for characterizing neuromuscular function in postural control

One approach to investigating sensorimotor control is to assess the accelerations that produce changes in the kinematic state of the system. When assessing complex whole-body movements, structuring the multi-segmental accelerations is important. A useful structuring can be achieved through a principal component analysis (PCA) performed on segment positions followed by double-differentiation to obtain “principal accelerations” (PAs). In past research PAs have proven sensitive to altered motor control strategies, however, the interrelationship between PAs and muscle activation (surface electromyography, sEMG) have never been determined. The purpose of the current study was therefore to assess the relationship between PAs and sEMG signals recorded from muscles controlling the ankle joint during one-leg standing trials. It was hypothesized that medium correlation should be observed when accounting for neurophysiologic latencies (electro-mechanical delay). Unipedal balancing on a level-rigid ground was performed by 25 volunteers. sEMG activities were recorded from the tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, gastrocnemius medialis, and soleus muscles of the stance leg. The first eight PA-time series were determined from kinematic marker data. Then, a cross-correlation analysis was performed between sEMG and PA time series. We found that peak correlation coefficients for many participants aligned at time delays between 0.116 and 0.362 s and were typically in the range small to medium (|r| = 0.1 to 0.6). Thus, the current study confirmed a direct association between many principal accelerations PA(t) and muscle activation signals recorded from four muscles crossing the ankle joint complex. The combined analysis of PA and sEMG signals allowed exploring the neuromuscular function of each muscle in different postural movement components.