scholarly journals Active Inference and Learning in the Cerebellum

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 1812-1839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Friston ◽  
Ivan Herreros
Keyword(s):  
Eyeblink Conditioning ◽  
Predictive Coding ◽  
Trace Conditioning ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Active Inference ◽  
Focal Lesions ◽  
Delay Conditioning ◽  
Neuronal Populations ◽  
Intrinsic Connectivity ◽  
The Face

This letter offers a computational account of Pavlovian conditioning in the cerebellum based on active inference and predictive coding. Using eyeblink conditioning as a canonical paradigm, we formulate a minimal generative model that can account for spontaneous blinking, startle responses, and (delay or trace) conditioning. We then establish the face validity of the model using simulated responses to unconditioned and conditioned stimuli to reproduce the sorts of behavior that are observed empirically. The scheme’s anatomical validity is then addressed by associating variables in the predictive coding scheme with nuclei and neuronal populations to match the (extrinsic and intrinsic) connectivity of the cerebellar (eyeblink conditioning) system. Finally, we try to establish predictive validity by reproducing selective failures of delay conditioning, trace conditioning, and extinction using (simulated and reversible) focal lesions. Although rather metaphorical, the ensuing scheme can account for a remarkable range of anatomical and neurophysiological aspects of cerebellar circuitry—and the specificity of lesion-deficit mappings that have been established experimentally. From a computational perspective, this work shows how conditioning or learning can be formulated in terms of minimizing variational free energy (or maximizing Bayesian model evidence) using exactly the same principles that underlie predictive coding in perception.

scholarly journals Cerebellar and Hippocampal Activation During Eyeblink Conditioning Depends on the Experimental Paradigm: A MEG Study

2003 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Kirsch ◽  
Caroline Achenbach ◽  
Martina Kirsch ◽  
Matthias Heinzmann ◽  
Anne Schienle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Differential Conditioning ◽  
Eyeblink Conditioning ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Trace Conditioning ◽  
Experimental Paradigm ◽  
Conditioned Eyeblink ◽  
Delay Conditioning ◽  
Activation Patterns ◽  
Differential Delay ◽  
Resistance To Extinction

The cerebellum and the hippocampus are key structures for the acquisition of conditioned eyeblink responses. Whereas the cerebellum seems to be crucial for all types of eyeblink conditioning, the hippocampus appears to be involved only in complex types of learning. We conducted a differential conditioning study to explore the suitability of the design for magnetencephalography (MEG). In addition, we compared cerebellar and hippocampal activation during differential delay and trace conditioning. Comparable conditioning effects were seen in both conditions, but a greater resistance to extinction for trace conditioning. Brain activation differed between paradigms: delay conditioning provoked activation only in the cerebellum and trace conditioning only in the hippocampus. The results reflect differential brain activation patterns during the two types of eyeblink conditioning.

Evaluation of the Modified Naranjo Criteria for Assessing Causal Attribution of Clinical Outcome to Homeopathic Intervention as Presented in Case Reports

Homeopathy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 109 (04) ◽  
pp. 191-197
Author(s):  
Chetna Deep Lamba ◽  
Vishwa Kumar Gupta ◽  
Robbert van Haselen ◽  
Lex Rutten ◽  
Nidhi Mahajan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Outcome ◽  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Clinical Case ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Causal Attribution ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Rater Agreement ◽  
The Face ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to establish the reliability and content validity of the “Modified Naranjo Criteria for Homeopathy—Causal Attribution Inventory” as a tool for attributing a causal relationship between the homeopathic intervention and outcome in clinical case reports. Methods Purposive sampling was adopted for the selection of information-rich case reports using pre-defined criteria. Eligible case reports had to fulfil a minimum of nine items of the CARE Clinical Case Reporting Guideline checklist and a minimum of three of the homeopathic HOM-CASE CARE extension items. The Modified Naranjo Criteria for Homeopathy Inventory consists of 10 domains. Inter-rater agreement in the scoring of these domains was determined by calculating the percentage agreement and kappa (κ) values. A κ greater than 0.4, indicating fair agreement between raters, in conjunction with the absence of concerns regarding the face validity, was taken to indicate the validity of a given domain. Each domain was assessed by four raters for the selected case reports. Results Sixty case reports met the inclusion criteria. Inter-rater agreement/concordance per domain was “perfect” for domains 1 (100%, κ = 1.00) and 2 (100%, κ = 1.00); “almost perfect” for domain 8 (97.5%, κ = 0.86); “substantial” for domains 3 (96.7%, κ = 0.80) and 5 (91.1%, κ = 0.70); “moderate” for domains 4 (83.3%, κ = 0.60), 7 (67.8%, κ = 0.46) and 9 (99.2%, κ = 0.50); and “fair” for domain 10 (56.1%, κ = 0.38). For domains 6A (46.7%, κ = 0.03) and 6B (50.3%, κ = 0.18), there was “slight agreement” only. Thus, the validity of the Modified Naranjo Criteria for Homeopathy tool was established for each of its domains, except for the two that pertain to direction of cure (domains 6A and 6B). Conclusion The Modified Naranjo Criteria for Homeopathy—Causal Attribution Inventory was identified as a valid tool for assessing the likelihood of a causal relationship between a homeopathic intervention and clinical outcome. Improved wordings for several criteria have been proposed for the assessment tool, under the new acronym “MONARCH”. Further assessment of two MONARCH domains is required.

An investigation of the face validity of a food intake questionnaire: lessons for dietary advice

1999 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Johnson ◽  
A. F. Hackett ◽  
A. Bibby ◽  
J. Cross
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Dietary Advice ◽  
The Face

Eyeblink conditioning contingent on hippocampal theta enhances hippocampal and medial prefrontal responses

2011 ◽  
Vol 105 (5) ◽  
pp. 2213-2224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan D. Darling ◽  
Kanako Takatsuki ◽  
Amy L. Griffin ◽  
Stephen D. Berry
Keyword(s):  
Neural Activity ◽  
Theta Rhythm ◽  
Eyeblink Conditioning ◽  
Trace Conditioning ◽  
Distributed Network ◽  
Field Potentials ◽  
Trace Interval ◽  
Behavioral Learning ◽  
Paired Group ◽  
Hippocampal Theta

Trace eyeblink classical conditioning (tEBCC) can be accelerated by making training trials contingent on the naturally generated hippocampal 3- to 7-Hz theta rhythm. However, it is not well-understood how the presence (or absence) of theta affects stimulus-driven changes within the hippocampus and how it correlates with patterns of neural activity in other essential trace conditioning structures, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In the present study, a brain-computer interface delivered paired or unpaired conditioning trials to rabbits during the explicit presence (T+) or absence (T−) of theta, yielding significantly faster behavioral learning in the T+-paired group. The stimulus-elicited hippocampal unit responses were larger and more rhythmic in the T+-paired group. This facilitation of unit responses was complemented by differences in the hippocampal local field potentials (LFP), with the T+-paired group demonstrating more coherent stimulus-evoked theta than T−-paired animals and both unpaired groups. mPFC unit responses in the rapid learning T+-paired group displayed a clear inhibitory/excitatory sequential pattern of response to the tone that was not seen in any other group. Furthermore, sustained mPFC unit excitation continued through the trace interval in T+animals but not in T−animals. Thus theta-contingent training is accompanied by 1) acceleration in behavioral learning, 2) enhancement of the hippocampal unit and LFP responses, and 3) enhancement of mPFC unit responses. Together, these data provide evidence that pretrial hippocampal state is related to enhanced neural activity in critical structures of the distributed network supporting the acquisition of tEBCC.

Pictorial Scale of Physical Self-Concept for Younger Children (P-PSC-C): A Feasibility Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (s2) ◽  
pp. S391-S402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maike Tietjens ◽  
Dennis Dreiskaemper ◽  
Till Utesch ◽  
Nadja Schott ◽  
Lisa M. Barnett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Self Perception ◽  
Gross Motor Development ◽  
The Face ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
The One

Children’s self-perception of motor skills and physical fitness is said to be an important mediator between skills and physical fitness on the one hand and physical activity on the other hand. An age-appropriate self-perception scale is needed to understand the development and the differentiation of the physical self-concept of children and its components. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to develop a pictorial scale of physical fitness for pre-school children (3–6 years old), and (2) to describe the face validity and feasibility of the scale. The study sample included 27 kindergarten children. In order to determine the psychometric properties, validity was assessed by administrating the Pictorial Scale for Physical Self-Concept in Kindergarten Children (P-PSC-C) compared with children’s fundamental movement skill competency (Test of Gross Motor Development [TGMD]-3; six locomotor and seven object-control skills), height, weight, and demographics. The face validity was favorable. Expectable negatively skewed response distributions were found in all items. Medium correlations with related constructs and with sport enjoyment were found. The results indicate that the new scale is usable for kindergarten children. Future validation studies are needed so that the new scale can contribute to the research about physical self-concept development in kindergarten children.

scholarly journals Implementing Predictive Processing and Active Inference: Preliminary Steps and Results

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beren Millidge
Keyword(s):  
Predictive Coding ◽  
Predictive Processing ◽  
Active Inference ◽  
Inference Models ◽  
Perceptual Model ◽  
Challenging Tasks ◽  
Generalised Coordinates

Initial and preliminary implementations of predictive processing and active inference models are presented. These include the baseline hierarchical predictive coding models of (Friston 2003, 2005), and dynamical predictive coding models using generalised coordinates (Friston 2008, 2010, Buckley 2017). Additionally, we re-implement and experiment with the active inference thermostat presented in (Buckley 2017) and also implement an active inference agent with a hierarchical predictive coding perceptual model on the more challenging cart-pole task from OpanAI gym. We discuss the initial performance, capabilities, and limitations of these models in their preliminary stages and consider how they might be further scaled up to tackle more challenging tasks.

scholarly journals Spanish Version of the System Usability Scale for the Assessment of Electronic Tools: Development and Validation

10.2196/21161 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e21161
Author(s):  
Magdalena Del Rocio Sevilla-Gonzalez ◽  
Lizbeth Moreno Loaeza ◽  
Laura Sofia Lazaro-Carrera ◽  
Brigette Bourguet Ramirez ◽  
Anabel Vázquez Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile App ◽  
Spanish Version ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Electronic Systems ◽  
Validity Index ◽  
Clinical Counseling ◽  
System Usability Scale ◽  
System Usability ◽  
The Face ◽  
Development And Validation

Background The System Usability Scale (SUS) is a common metric used to assess the usability of a system, and it was initially developed in English. The implementation of electronic systems for clinical counseling (eHealth and mobile health) is increasing worldwide. Therefore, tools are needed to evaluate these applications in the languages and regional contexts in which the electronic tools are developed. Objective This study aims to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the original English version of the SUS into a Spanish version. Methods The translation process included forward and backward translation. Forward translations were made by 2 native Spanish speakers who spoke English as their second language, and a backward translation was made by a native English speaker. The Spanish SUS questionnaire was validated by 10 experts in mobile app development. The face validity of the questionnaire was tested with 10 mobile phone users, and the reliability testing was conducted among 88 electronic application users. Results The content validity index of the new Spanish SUS was good, as indicated by a rating of 0.92 for the relevance of the items. The questionnaire was easy to understand, based on a face validity index of 0.94. The Cronbach α was .812 (95% CI 0.748-0.866; P<.001). Conclusions The new Spanish SUS questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to assess the usability of electronic tools among Spanish-speaking users.

Development and Validation of a Modified Version of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale in a Flemish Palliative Care Population

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 475-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Claessens ◽  
Johan Menten ◽  
Paul Schotsmans ◽  
Bert Broeckaert
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Symptom Assessment ◽  
Assessment Scale ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
The Face ◽  
Palliative Care Units ◽  
Symptom Assessment Scale ◽  
Development And Validation

Palliative cancer patients are faced with multiple symptoms that threaten their quality of life. To manage these symptoms, a reliable and valid way of registration is crucial. In this study, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) has been translated, modified, and tested on content, face, criterion, construct validity, and internal consistency for patients admitted to Flemish palliative care units. These aspects are tested in a descriptive, comparative, longitudinal study based on 3 convenience samples. The first consisted of 8 palliative care experts. The second sample checked the face validity and consisted of 4 patients, 5 family members, and 5 nurses. The last sample involved 23 patients admitted to 3 Flemish palliative care units. Heedful of the “new-wave” vision on validity, the translated and altered ESAS seemed a suitable instrument for the symptom assessment of patients with cancer admitted to a palliative care unit.

A reconsideration of the EWOM construct in restaurant research: what are we really measuring?

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 3479-3500
Author(s):  
Nathaniel Discepoli Line ◽  
Lydia Hanks ◽  
Tarik Dogru
Keyword(s):  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Communication Channels ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Face Validity ◽  
Electronic Word Of Mouth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Latent Construct ◽  
The Face ◽  
Important Field ◽  
Analytical Approaches

Purpose With the proliferation of internet-based communication channels, understanding how restaurant consumers engage in electronic word of mouth (EWOM) has become an important field of academic pursuit. However, while communication channels have become more numerous and complex, the methods used to operationalize the attendant EWOM behaviors on these channels have remained relatively simplistic. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to consider existing methods of measuring restaurant EWOM in terms of their face validity in the contemporary communications landscape. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a total of six independent surveys that use various combinations of sampling, methodological and analytical approaches to demonstrate, measurement, social media, methodology, user-generated content, EWOM, electronic word of mouth the multiple problems associated with the measurement of restaurant EWOM as a latent construct. Findings The results suggest that the current methods for measuring EWOM are indeed outdated, indicating the need for a more nuanced approach to the academic pursuit of EWOM behavior. Research limitations/implications The existing methods of measuring restaurant EWOM are found to be invalid for many reasons. These methods of measuring EWOM should be abandoned in favor of channel-specific operationalizations that control for previous behavior and respondents’ account access at a minimum. Originality/value As its inception, many studies have operationalized restaurant EWOM as an intention-based construct used to measure an individual’s likelihood to communicate information about hospitality experiences “online.” While such measures were no doubt valid in the early years of EWOM research, the research is the first to criticize the face validity of this approach in terms of its relevance in the contemporary communications environment.

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