Measuring behavior across scales

TL;DR

This review discusses how theoretical, computational, and experimental methods are advancing the measurement of animal behavior across various scales, aiming to establish a quantitative framework comparable to other sciences.

Contribution

It highlights the integration of theoretical and data analytical approaches with new methodologies to quantify behavior across different contexts, scales, and timeframes.

Findings

Identification of commonalities between different approaches

Highlighting areas needing further methodological advances

Emphasis on placing behavior measurement on a quantitative footing

Abstract

The need for high-throughput, precise, and meaningful methods for measuring behavior has been amplified by our recent successes in measuring and manipulating neural circuitry. The largest challenges associated with moving in this direction, however, are not technical but are instead conceptual: what numbers should one put on the movements an animal is performing (or not performing)? In this review, I will describe how theoretical and data analytical ideas are interfacing with recently-developed computational and experimental methodologies to answer these questions across a variety of contexts, length scales, and time scales. I will attempt to highlight commonalities between approaches and areas where further advances are necessary to place behavior on the same quantitative footing as other scientific fields.