Leiden University Student Repository

Temme, Kira (2023)

Discovering the natural behavioral correlates of fluctuations in frontal midline theta power

Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)

Real-world natural behavior employs a range of frontal midline theta (FMθ)-related cognitive processes. Therefore, it is crucial to discover the natural behavioral correlated of fluctuations in FMθ power. FMθ power has been investigated with a broad spectrum of behavioral tasks, each linked to a specific cognitive mechanism. However, the behavioral responses in those tasks cannot reflect natural behavior. This leaves a significant gap in our understanding of how these neuronal mechanisms translate into natural, complex, everyday behavior. This study bridges this gap through measuring the next-interval temporal dynamics of natural smartphone interactions. To quantify the complex real-world behavior, we are measured the next-interval temporal dynamics of natural smartphone interactions, using the recently introduced joint-interval distribution (JID). The JID represents the probability distribution of the occurrence of interaction interval k in conjunction with its next interval k+1....Show moreReal-world natural behavior employs a range of frontal midline theta (FMθ)-related cognitive processes. Therefore, it is crucial to discover the natural behavioral correlated of fluctuations in FMθ power. FMθ power has been investigated with a broad spectrum of behavioral tasks, each linked to a specific cognitive mechanism. However, the behavioral responses in those tasks cannot reflect natural behavior. This leaves a significant gap in our understanding of how these neuronal mechanisms translate into natural, complex, everyday behavior. This study bridges this gap through measuring the next-interval temporal dynamics of natural smartphone interactions. To quantify the complex real-world behavior, we are measured the next-interval temporal dynamics of natural smartphone interactions, using the recently introduced joint-interval distribution (JID). The JID represents the probability distribution of the occurrence of interaction interval k in conjunction with its next interval k+1. This method results in a 50x50 matrix where each pixel contains the probability of recorded interactions that occurred given a certain ITI (k) and consequent ITI (k+1). We measured simultaneous full-cap EEG and smartphone interactions during a one-hour session with 69 participants. The FMθ power and JID was calculated per two-minute bin per participant. We used robust regression of the two measures for each participant, and then applied a clustering method to account for multiple comparison. Four main findings emerge from the results: One, there are discernable behavioral correlates of fluctuations in FMθ power. Two, the fluctuations of FMθ power relate to specific temporal dynamics of natural smartphone behavior. Three, the behavioral correlates of fluctuations of FMθ power are more prominent in transitional than monotonous next-interval behavior. Four, there are individual differences in the behavioral correlates of FMθ power fluctuations. Overall, the results paints a multifaceted picture of the behavioral correlates of FMθ power, emphasizing both the complexity and the specificity of these relationships. The discovered natural behavioral correlates may extend existing theories on FMθ power’s role in cognition, specifically cognitive control, working and short-term memory, learning, performance, the DMN and adaptive motor control. Fluctuations in response times in cognitive assessment tasks may be transferable to the temporal dynamics of natural behavior. The discovery of the natural behavioral correlates of FMθ power fluctuations offer intriguing insights and new research opportunities.Show less

Author

Temme, Kira

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Cognitive Neuroscience

Supervisors

Ghosh, A.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en