Dynamic similarity promotes interpersonal coordination in joint-action

Human movement has been studied for decades and dynamic laws of motion that are common to all humans have been derived. Yet, every individual moves differently from everyone else (faster/slower, harder/smoother etc). We propose here an index of such variability, namely an individual motor signature (IMS) able to capture the subtle differences in the way each of us moves. We show that the IMS of a person is time-invariant and that it significantly differs from those of other individuals. This allows us to quantify the dynamic similarity, a measure of rapport between dynamics of different individuals' movements, and demonstrate that it facilitates coordination during interaction. We use our measure to confirm a key prediction of the theory of similarity that coordination between two individuals performing a joint-action task is higher if their motions share similar dynamic features. Furthermore, we use a virtual avatar driven by an interactive cognitive architecture based on feedback control theory to explore the effects of different kinematic features of the avatar motion on the coordination with human players

Toward an Emotional Individual Motor Signature

Bodily expression of felt emotion has been documented in the literature. However, it is often associated with high motor variability between individuals. This study aimed to identify individual motor signature (IMS) of emotions. IMS is a new method of motion analysis and visualization able to capture the subtle differences in the way each of us moves, seen as a kinematic fingerprint. We hypothesized that the individual motor signature would be different depending on the induced emotional state and that an emotional motor signature of joy and sadness common to all participants would emerge. For that purpose, we elicited these emotions (joy, sadness, and a neutral control emotion) in 26 individuals using an autobiographical memory paradigm, before they performed a motor improvization task (e.g., the mirror game). We extracted the individual motor signature under each emotional condition. Participants completed a self-report emotion before and after each trial. Comparing the similarity indexes of intra- and inter-emotional condition signatures, we confirmed our hypothesis and showed the existence of a specific motor signature for joy and sadness, allowing us to introduce the notion of emotional individual motor signature (EIMS). Our study indicates that EIMS can reinforce emotion discrimination and constitutes the first step in modeling emotional behavior during individual task performances or social interactions

How psychological and behavioral team states change during positive and negative momentum

In business and sports, teams often experience periods of positive and negative momentum while pursuing their goals. However, researchers have not yet been able to provide insights into how psychological and behavioral states actually change during positive and negative team momentum. In the current study we aimed to provide these insights by introducing an experimental dynamical research design. Rowing pairs had to compete against a virtual opponent on rowing ergometers, while a screen in front of the team broadcasted the ongoing race. The race was manipulated so that the team’s rowing avatar gradually progressed (positive momentum) or regressed (negative momentum) in relation to the victory. The participants responded verbally to collective efficacy and task cohesion items appearing on the screen each minute. In addition, effort exertion and interpersonal coordination were continuously measured. Our results showed negative psychological changes (perceptions of collective efficacy and task cohesion) during negative team momentum, which were stronger than the positive changes during positive team momentum. Moreover, teams’ exerted efforts rapidly decreased during negative momentum, whereas positive momentum accompanied a more variable and adaptive sequence of effort exertion. Finally, the interpersonal coordination was worse during negative momentum than during positive momentum. These results provide the first empirical insights into actual team momentum dynamics, and demonstrate how a dynamical research approach significantly contributes to current knowledge on psychological and behavioral processes

Unravelling socio-motor biomarkers in schizophrenia

We present novel, low-cost and non-invasive potential diagnostic biomarkers of schizophrenia. They are based on the ‘mirror-game’, a coordination task in which two partners are asked to mimic each other’s hand movements. In particular, we use the patient’s solo movement, recorded in the absence of a partner, and motion recorded during interaction with an artificial agent, a computer avatar or a humanoid robot. In order to discriminate between the patients and controls, we employ statistical learning techniques, which we apply to nonverbal synchrony and neuromotor features derived from the participants’ movement data. The proposed classifier has 93% accuracy and 100% specificity. Our results provide evidence that statistical learning techniques, nonverbal movement coordination and neuromotor characteristics could form the foundation of decision support tools aiding clinicians in cases of diagnostic uncertainty

Effects of Facial Emotions on Social-motor Coordination in Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia patients are known to be impaired in their ability to process social information and to engage in social interactions. To understand better social cognition in schizophrenia, we investigate the links between these impairments. In this paper, we focus primarily on the influence of social feedback, such as facial emotions, on motor coordination during joint action. To investigate and quantify this influence, we exploited systematically-controlled social and nonsocial feedback provided by a humanoid robot. Humanoid robotics technology offers interactive designs and can precisely control the properties of the feedback provided during the interaction. In this work, a joint-action task with a robot is performed to investigate how social cognition is affected by cognitive capabilities and symptomatology. Results show that positive social feedback has a facilitatory effect on social-motor coordination in the control participants compared to nonsocial positive feedback. This facilitation effect is not present in schizophrenia patients, whose social-motor coordination is similar in social and nonsocial feedback conditions. This result is strongly correlated with performances in the Trail Making Test (TMT), which highlights the link between cognitive deficits and social-motor coordination in schizophrenia

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701

Le Québec en armes : une histoire des relations du Québec avec les Etats d'Amérique du Nord en matière de sécurité et de défense de 1763 à nos jours

Between 1763 and 2013, Quebec is armed because the province is concerned by the security and defense issues in the North American area. The Quebec history is characterised by a series of military alliances, violent struggles, rebellion, resistance and transgressions. The Seven Years War, the American Revolution, the Franco-British war in 1793, the Patriotsrevolt in 1837-1838, the participation of French Canadians in the American Civil War, conscription crises in 1918 and 1942, the FLQ action, referendums on Quebec independence in 1980 and 1995 or the Quebec active participation in the war against terrorism from 2001 are some examples of these power relations for the studied period.The history of Quebec as a specific entity starts with the assignment by the King of France of the Canadian portion of the French Empire to the King of England with the Treaty of Paris of February 10th, 1763. Under the leadership of the Church Catholic, French-speaking canadians who live in the lowlands of the St. Lawrence, are organizing their resistance toBritish colonialism. Over the time, they develop their own strategic culture based on the idea of a need for the survival of the French fact in North America. Despite the attempts of England to assimilate the population of the colony to the English culture to better accept his authority, french canadians resist and organize their territorial defense in the lowlands of theSt. Lawrence. This resistance accelerates the emergence of a special relationship between Quebec and France wich is its former colonial power. The relations of the Belle Province with the North American States are structured by the specific strategic culture of french canadians.At the time of the 250th Treaty of Paris anniversary, in 2013, Quebec is a security and defense complex having reached a status of almost sovereign State. The province has a homogeneous population, a territory and a lawfull government. Quebec has the largest diplomatic representations network abroad all federal states in the world. The province alsohas its own police force, an intelligence service or a war industry. Quebec has international influence out of proportion to its demographic weight.Entre 1763 et 2013, le Québec est armes car il se retrouve entraîné au coeur des questions de sécurité et de défense qui agitent l’espace nord-américain. L’histoire de la Belle province est marquée par une série d’alliances militaires, de luttes violentes, de rébellions, de résistances et de transgressions. La guerre de Sept ans, la révolution américaine, la guerrefranco-britannique en 1793, la révolte des Patriotes en 1837-1838, la participation des Canadiens francophones à la guerre de Sécession, les crises de la conscription en 1918 et en 1942, l’action du FLQ, les référendums sur l’indépendance du Québec en 1980 et 1995 ou encore la participation active du Québec à la guerre contre le terrorisme à partir de 2001constituent quelques exemples de ces rapports de force au cours de la période étudiée.L’histoire du Québec en tant qu’entité spécifique démarre avec la cession par le roi de France de la partie canadienne de l’empire français au roi d’Angleterre avec le traité de Paris du 10 février 1763. Sous la houlette de l’Église catholique, les Canadiens francophones, qui vivent dans les basses terres du Saint-Laurent, organisent leur résistance face au colonialisme britannique. Ils développent au fil du temps leur propre culture stratégique fondée sur l’idée d’une nécessité de la survivance du fait francophone en Amérique du Nord. Malgré les tentatives de l’Angleterre d’assimiler la population de la colonie à la culture anglophone afin de mieux faire accepter son autorité, les francophones résistent et organisent leur défense territoriale dans les basses terres du Saint-Laurent. Cette résistance accélère l’émergence d’une relation spéciale entre le Québec et la France qui constitue son ancienne métropole coloniale. Les relations de la Belle Province avec les États d’Amérique du Nord sont conditionnées par cette culture stratégique spécifique des francophones.Au moment du 250e anniversaire du traité de Paris, en 2013, le Québec forme un complexe de sécurité et de défense ayant atteint un statut de quasi-État souverain. Il a une population homogène, un territoire et un gouvernement propre. Il possède le plus important réseau de représentations diplomatiques à l’étranger de tous les États fédérés dans le monde. Il dispose également d’une force de police, d’un service de renseignement ou encore d’une industrie de guerre. Le Québec exerce une influence internationale hors de proportion avec son poids démographique

Teaching interactions are based on motor behavior embodiment

International audienceIn Kline's target article, the role of motor behavior in teaching is missing. However, it is so important that we cannot avoid taking into account the movements of another person when performing our own movements. Moreover, the state of mind is embodied. Consequently, teaching should integrate the role of motor behavior to enhance teacher/learner social interactions

The importance of studying all subgoals at once

International audienc