Protocol for gaze estimation using facial orientation in marmosets during a social preference test

Area of Science:

• Primate behavior
• Comparative psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Understanding social preference is crucial for primate research.
• Current methods for assessing social attention can be invasive or complex.
• Common marmosets are valuable models for studying social cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce an open-source platform for evaluating social preference in common marmosets.
• To provide a simple and noninvasive method for assessing social attention.
• To enable detailed analysis of marmoset social behavior using gaze estimation.

Main Methods:

• Development of an open-source platform utilizing image-based visual stimuli.
• Implementation of gaze estimation techniques to track marmoset attention.
• Detailed protocols for test setup, animal training, and data analysis using provided code.

Main Results:

• The platform facilitates straightforward setup and marmoset training for social preference tests.
• Gaze estimation accurately captures social attention toward visual stimuli.
• The provided code enables robust analysis of behavioral data.

Conclusions:

• This platform offers a novel, accessible tool for studying social behavior in common marmosets.
• The noninvasive approach enhances the ethical considerations in primate research.
• The open-source nature promotes wider adoption and advancement in the field.