T-PATTERNS, THEME AND THE OBSERVER

Human Behavior Laboratory, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

When measuring or analyzing continuous behavior records involving real-time - for example looking for cyclical organization, typical sequences and syntax, or behavioral profiles - it may be useful to consider the possible presence of repeated hidden structures which may be complex and of as yet unknown kinds. One basic type of hierarchical time pattern, called a T-pattern, and the corresponding detection and analysis software, Theme, is proposed for the detection of hidden behavior patterns.

T-patterns are probabilistic, repeated, recursive (self-similar and hierarchical) synchronic and/or sequential structures that may involve any number of individuals and behavioral, physiological and/or environmental event types. Other structural types are derived from the T-pattern type:

• T-markers are T-pattern components that indicate strongly the presence of particular T-patterns.
• A T-satellite is positively or negatively associated to, but not a component of, a T-pattern.
• A T-packet is a T-pattern with its satellites.
• T-alternation groups are sets of alternating mutually exclusive T-patterns or T-packets within a behavioral stream.