Specification

Behaverse Data Model (BDM) specifies dataset structure and a set of tables that are designed to capture the information relevant to the study of human behavior in many cognitive tests and questionnaires. The tables are designed to be tidy and to capture a wide variety of behavioral experiments.


A typical workflow in an experimental study. BDM focuses on the dataset structure for events, trials, and models.

A typical workflow in an experimental study. BDM focuses on the dataset structure for events, trials, and models.

General

Part of the BDM is common to all datasets, regardless of the specific type of activity. This includes:

Folder structure
a BDM dataset is a folder that contains data files and all relevant information needed to make sense of that data.
Dataset Card
Metadata provides information about a dataset.
StudyFlow
Study flow describes the sequence of activities in a study.
Codebook
Codebook is a document that describes the contents, structure, and layout of a dataset.
Indexing
Indices are used to identify and address data records.
Instructions
Instructions provide additional guidance and help about tasks presented to subjects in a study.

Specific

Some particular structures are unique to the type of data or activity. Specifically, BDM defines the following levels of data:

Events
The raw data that are collected during the experiment. They are the most detailed data and are typically sufficient for reproducing the original experiment.
Trials
At its core, BDM defines trials data that are derived from the events. They are task-specific and typically designed to capture the main features of the scientific experiment.
Models
The model parameters that are derived from the trial. They generally address the research questions and are used for downstream data summary, analysis, publication, or visualization.