Behavioral Posology: A Novel Paradigm for Modeling the Healthy Limits of Behaviors

Abstract

One of the challenges faced by behavioral scientists is the lack of modeling methodologies for accurately determining when a behavior becomes problematic. The authors propose “behavioral posology” as a novel modeling paradigm for quantifying the healthy limits of behaviors through the concept of behavioral dose. As an example of this paradigm, a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model of a hypothetical digital behavior is presented, based on opponent process theory. The generic model can be adapted to simulate Solomon and Corbit's model of affective dynamics from 1974, and the model predicts features of addiction such as hedonic allostasis, withdrawal, and apparent tolerance. A behavioral frequency response analysis (BFRA) of the model demonstrates how behavior repetition may result in a hormetic dose–response relationship that depends on the frequency of the behavior. The model can be experimentally validated using Ecological Momentary Assessment, allowing researchers to hypothesize, model, and test causal mechanisms for behavioral addictions. The potential for behavioral posology to be applied as a clinical support tool in psychological medicine is discussed, as this modeling framework may help to detect and limit behaviors being performed too frequently based on factors such as the person's moral beliefs.

Reducing Echo Chamber Effects: An Allostatic Regulator for Recommendation Algorithms

“…Our allostatic regulator can be mathematically defined using a behavioral dose model based on the concept of 'intervention dose' 25,[48][49][50] . This model characterizes a human behavior through four main attributes: 𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 (level of engagement in a behavior), 𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 (time spent on the behavior), 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 (how often the behavior occurs in a given time), and 𝐷𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (the observation period).…”

“…Then, the dose for a single behavior can be calculated as: 8) 𝐷𝑜𝑠𝑒 = 𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 × 𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 and the total dose of cumulative behaviors performed within a specific period is: 9) 𝐷𝑜𝑠𝑒 = 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 × 𝐷𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 × 𝐷𝑜𝑠𝑒 where 𝐷𝑜𝑠𝑒 represents the mean individual behavioral dose for all behaviors over the 𝐷𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 in which 𝐷𝑜𝑠𝑒 is assessed. To simplify our analysis, we can perform a Behavioral Frequency Response Analysis (BFRA) by treating 𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 and 𝐷𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 as constants and varying the 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 at which the dose is delivered 25 .…”

“…Thus, the person returns to homeostasis only when the b-process is no longer activated 22,24 . Henry et al have proposed that this 'digital hormesis' may be detected by performing a Behavioral Frequency Response Analysis (BFRA) to observe the allostatic effects of behavioral opponent processes delivered at varying frequencies 25 .…”