We are proud to announce that the Laboratory of Comparative Psychology and Analysis of the Spatial Dynamics of Behavior (LabPsiCom) will be presenting at the upcoming Society for the Quantitative Analyses of Behavior (SQAB) Annual Conference, which will be held in May 2025 as part of the ABAI Annual Convention.
🎙️ Talk Title:
The Spatial Dimension in Behavior Analysis: Harnessing Tracking Systems and Computational Methods for New Insights
👩🔬 Presented by: Dr. Alejandro León & Dr. Varsovia Hernández
📍 Biomedical Research Center, Universidad Veracruzana
🔍 What Will We Present?
In this talk, we will propose a conceptual and methodological shift in the experimental analysis of behavior: moving beyond discrete-response frameworks toward a spatiotemporal understanding of behavior as a dynamic, adaptive system.
Using high-resolution tracking systems, including center-of-mass data and pose estimation, we aim to uncover non-random distributions and ecologically meaningful behavioral patterns. We will demonstrate how these patterns reorganize in response to dynamic spatiotemporal changes in the environment and the emergence of new contingency systems.
Our approach includes the use of:
🔹 Location entropy to quantify spatial variability
🔹 Weighted Voronoi diagrams to segment Regions of Behavioral Relevance (RBRs)
🔹 Pose estimation for analyzing behavioral topographies
🔹 Machine learning algorithms to predict reinforcement schedules based on spatial features
These methods allow us to detect phenomena such as spatial anticipation, emergent space segmentation, and behavioral sensitivity to space-time contingencies.
🌍 Why This Matters
Incorporating the spatial dimension of behavior is more than a technical upgrade, it’s a necessary evolution for expanding the scope and depth of behavior analysis. By integrating computational methods with ecological validity, we move closer to models of behavior that reflect its full complexity in time and space.
Our presentation at SQAB represents an exciting opportunity to connect with the global community of quantitative behavior analysts. We look forward to engaging in rich discussions, sharing tools, and shaping the future of behavior science.
🔗 More Info
🌐 SQAB 2025 Conference Page
📅 Event: May 2025
📍 Location: Chicago, USA
🎓 In collaboration with the ABAI Annual Convention
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