Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 27, 2026
Transferring Cognitive Tasks Between Brain Imaging Modalities: Implications for Task Design and Results Interpretation in fMRI Studies
Published on: September 22, 2014
The importance of task design and behavioral control for understanding the neural basis of cognitive functions
1Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, USA.
Abstract:
The success of systems neuroscience depends on the ability to forge quantitative links between neural activity and behavior. Traditionally, this process has benefited from the rigorous development and testing of hypotheses using tools derived from classical psychophysics and computational motor control. As our capacity for measuring neural activity improves, accompanied by powerful new analysis strategies, it seems prudent to remember what these traditional approaches have to offer. Here I present a perspective on the merits of principled task design and tight behavioral control, along with some words of caution about interpretation in unguided, large-scale neural recording studies. I argue that a judicious combination of new and old approaches is the best way to advance our understanding of higher brain function in health and disease.
More Related Videos
10:33Correlating Behavioral Responses to fMRI Signals from Human Prefrontal Cortex: Examining Cognitive Processes Using Task Analysis
Published on: June 20, 2012
09:43A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments
Published on: April 15, 2014
Related Concept Videos
01:20Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
This field emerged in the mid-20th century, following a period dominated by behaviorism, which...
01:21Cognitive Learning
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
01:17Cognitivism
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process...
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory