Tutorial: Lessons Learned for Behavior Analysts from Data Scientists.

Journal: Perspectives on behavior science
Published Date:

Abstract

Big data is a computing term used to refer to large and complex data sets, typically consisting of terabytes or more of diverse data that is produced rapidly. The analysis of such complex data sets requires advanced analysis techniques with the capacity to identify patterns and abstract meanings from the vast data. The field of data science combines computer science with mathematics/statistics and leverages artificial intelligence, in particular machine learning, to analyze big data. This field holds great promise for behavior analysis, where both clinical and research studies produce large volumes of diverse data at a rapid pace (i.e., big data). This article presents basic lessons for the behavior analytic researchers and clinicians regarding integration of data science into the field of behavior analysis. We provide guidance on how to collect, protect, and process the data, while highlighting the importance of collaborating with data scientists to select a proper machine learning model that aligns with the project goals and develop models with input from human experts. We hope this serves as a guide to support the behavior analysts interested in the field of data science to advance their practice or research, and helps them avoid some common pitfalls.

Authors

  • Leslie Neely
    Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, 501 West Cesar Chavez, San Antonio, TX 78207 USA.
  • Sakiko Oyama
    Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, 501 West Cesar Chavez, San Antonio, TX 78207 USA.
  • Qian Chen
    Department of Pain Medicine Guizhou Provincial Orthopedics Hospital Guiyang Guizhou China.
  • Amina Qutub
    Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, 501 West Cesar Chavez, San Antonio, TX 78207 USA.
  • Chen Chen
    The George Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Keywords

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