[Biomedical-cybernetics] Full Day Workshop on Nonlinear Methods SCTPLS 2012

[Guastello, Stephen]

Full Day Workshop on Nonlinear Methods

22nd Annual International Conference of the
Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology & Life Sciences
July 26, 2012, Baltimore

Methodologies provide a doorway to new information, the advancement of  
theory, and development of new applications.  The Society for Chaos  
Theory in Psychology and Life Sciences (SCTPLS) is pleased to announce  
a full day pre-conference workshop covering a range of nonlinear  
methodologies that are well suited to broad and interdisciplinary  
applications across psychology, social sciences, and life sciences.

The workshop is scheduled from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Thursday, July 26 –  
kicking off the 22nd Annual International Conference at The Johns  
Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.

For Beginners: This workshop is ideal for individuals who want to move  
forward to design and conduct a research project involving nonlinear  
dynamics, and also have a better understanding of the works of others  
using related methodologies.  We recommend that participants should  
have a basic familiarity with concepts of attractors, bifurcations,  
chaos, complexity, and related nonlinear concepts.  This is an  
excellent training opportunity for graduate students, especially those  
who plan to do a dissertation with impact.

For Experts: Each workshop module will provide up to date developments  
on fast-moving topics and software options.  Advanced researchers will  
gain:  a deeper understanding of the theoretical coherence among the  
various approaches along with detailed information regarding empirical  
design and interpretation of results.
The workshop will begin with a brief introduction followed by four 90- 
minute modules.  The specific topics and presenters are being  
finalized at the moment.  Stay tuned for updates.  The day will  
conclude with an open group discussion with the training panel.

Topics and Presenters
Traditional Nonlinear Metrics and Surrogate Data Testing

The main topic of this workshop session will be the dynamical behavior  
of nonlinear systems, as visualized and studied in the state space. A  
central topic is time-delay reconstruction of trajectories in the  
state space: how to do it correctly, basics of the underlying fractal  
topology, and applications. The dimension of reconstructed attractors  
will be discussed, including correlation dimension, computational  
procedures, and interpretation of dimension estimates. Emphasis will  
also be placed on the use of surrogate-data techniques, to validate  
dimension estimates and test specific hypotheses about the data.  
Examples from physiological studies will be presented.

Mark Shelhammer, Sc.D., Associate Professor, Department of  
Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery and Associate Professor,  
Department of Biomedical Engineering, TheJohns Hopkins University,  
School of Medicine. Dr. Mark Shelhamer received his doctoral degree in  
Biomedical Engineering from MIT in 1990. While there, he studied  
sensorimotor physiology and modeling. His research work involved the  
study of astronaut adaptation to space flight, including participation  
in two sets of Spacelab experiments carried out on the space shuttle.  
He then moved to Johns Hopkins where he continued the study of  
sensorimotor adaptation with an emphasis on the vestibular and  
oculomotor systems.  This has included the opportunity to study  
adaptation to altered gravity environments through flights in NASA's  
"vomit comet" parabolic-flight aircraft. In parallel with this, Dr.  
Shelhamer has applied nonlinear dynamical analysis to the control of  
eye movements, emphasizing the temporal and spatial dynamics of  
reflexive, reactive, and predictive control. His most recent work  
explores the functional implications of fractal activity in  
sensorimotor adaptation and vestibular processing.  He is the author  
of Nonlinear Dynamics in Physiology: A State-Space Approach, has  
published over 60 scientific papers, and has had research support from  
NIH, NSF, NASA, NSBRI, and the Whitaker Foundation.

Analysis of Oscillators

Modeling Oscillations in Regression, Structural Equation Modeling and  
Multilevel Models:  This workshop is designed to introduce  
participants to the logic and approaches for modeling cyclical  
phenomena through testing oscillatory equations.  These equations  
treat acceleration in a measure as the outcome with forms of the  
measure (in terms of position and velocity) being treated as  
predictors.  These models can simultaneously estimate damping and  
frequency, be expanded to include common nonlinear terms identified by  
Ralyeigh, Van der Pol, and Duffing, and include control parameters to  
account for within time series and between time series variability.   
Furthermore the approach can be expanded to allow for coupled  
equations that display entrainment behavior.  Examples will be covered  
for a single time series in regression (in SPSS) and Structural  
Equation Modeling (in MPlus; also called Differential Structural  
Equation Modeling in this context), and for multiple time series using  
multilevel models (in SPSS Mixed).

Jonathan Butner, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology,  
University of Utah. Jonathan Butner is an associate professor of  
psychology at the University ofUtah.  Trained as a traditional social  
and quantitative psychologist, Jonathan seeks to integrate systems  
concepts with behavioral data analytic techniques and methodologies.    
He has published broadly including articles on the fractal nature of  
conversations, soft-assembly models of diabetes management in  
adolescents, and the coordination of affect among couples.  Striving  
to work with data collected through lab and field experiments, he has  
expanded the literature on modeling nonlinear and coupled oscillatory  
effects in regression, multilevel modeling, and Structural Equation  
Modeling.  His current research includes assisting NASA in identifying  
factors that lead to cost overruns, testing a theory of dynamic vision  
under motion, and a statistical integration of systems modeling  
approaches across oscillatory and non-oscillatory effects.

Catastrophe Theory

Catastrophe theory describes and predicts discontinuous changes of  
events. It is perhaps one of the earliest modes of nonlinear dynamics  
to cross into the social sciences with empirical supporting evidence.  
Catastrophe models range from simple to complex, and involve different  
configurations of attractors, repellors, saddles, bifurcations, and  
control variables. This portion of the nonlinear methods workshop  
covers basic principles, some classic applications, and the  
statistical procedures that anyone can use to test catastrophe models.  
Emphasis is placed on techniques that can be performed with popular  
and available software. Recommendations for experimental designs are  
also included.

Stephen J. Guastello, Ph.D. is a Professor of Industrial- 
Organizational Psychology and Human Factors Engineering at Marquette  
University, Milwaukee WI. His published applications of catastrophe  
theory include work motivation, personnel selection, program  
evaluation, stress and human performance, occupational safety and  
health, leadership emergence, binge drinking among college students,  
and diffusion of innovation. He has authored three books Chaos,  
Catastrophe, and Human Affairs (1995, Erlbaum/Taylor & Francis),  
Managing Emergent Phenomena (2002, Erlbaum/Taylor & Francis), Human  
Factors Engineering and Ergonomics: A Systems Approach (2006, Erlbaum/ 
Taylor & Francis); and co-edited Chaos and Complexity in Psychology:  
The Theory of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems (with M. Koopmans and D.  
Pincus, 2009, Cambridge University Press). He is the founding Editor  
in Chief of SCTPLS’ research journal, Nonlinear Dynamic, Psychology,  
and Life Sciences.

State-Space Grids

State-Space Grids (SSG’s) provide a relatively simple means of  
tracking interactive dynamics among two agents over time.  The most  
common and widely published application of SSG’s has been to  
understanding rigidity and flexibility in family or peer relational  
contexts.  SSG’s typically analyze change across a 2 x 2 grid in  
nominal (e.g., interpersonal behaviors or affects) or ordinal (e.g.,  
levels of engagement or affective intensity) codes of verbal or  
nonverbal behaviors over time.  The grid itself is simply a two  
dimensional surface that tracks the movement of this two parameter  
system across each of the possible states; and the method could be  
applied to any two variable system.  Once graphed, these data may then  
be analyzed in a variety of ways to compare complexity of interactions  
for hypothesis testing, for example with respect to frequencies of  
transitions, length of time in each state, or Shannon Entropy.

David Pincus, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology  
and Behavioral Medicine in the Crean School of Health and Life  
Sciences at Chapman University in Orange,California, USA.  He obtained  
his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Marquette University and completed  
a post-doctoral fellowship through The UC Davis Department of  
Psychiatry in Child and Adolescent Psychology.  Dr. Pincus research  
focuses on the application of nonlinear dynamical systems theory to a  
variety of topics in clinical psychology and behavioral medicine  
including: resilience, interpersonal dynamics and health, integrative  
psychotherapy, pain, guided imagery, self-injurious behavior, and  
quantum consciousness.  In addition to various articles and chapters  
on these topics, he is the lead author of: “Imagery for Pain Relief:   
A Scientifically Grounded Guidebook,” and a co-editor of:  “Chaos and  
Complexity in Psychology:  The Theory of Nonlinear Dynamical  
Systems.”  Dr. Pincus maintains a private psychotherapy practice and  
is the current president of The Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology  
and Life Sciences.

Call for Papers and Symposia

We invite interested scholars to present and discuss recent  
developments in nonlinear dynamical system theory, which includes  
chaos theory, fractals, complex systems and related topics. Over the  
years, the annual conferences of the Society for Chaos Theory in  
Psychology & Life Sciences have inspired and supported scholars from  
an array of disciplines to look at new ways to develop their  
theoretical and empirical work in an integrated approach to life  
sciences.

The SOCIETY FOR CHAOS THEORY IN PSYCHOLOGY & LIFE SCIENCES is a  
multidisciplinary organization. The topics covered by the conference  
include applications of nonlinear dynamics theory and techniques to  
problems encountered in any area of the behavioral, social and life  
sciences including psychology, sociology, economics, econophysics,  
management sciences, anthropology, aesthetics, education, biology,  
physiology, ecology, neuroscience and medicine. One or more of the  
following nonlinear concepts must be an explicit part of the  
presentation: attractors, bifurcations, chaos, fractals, solitons,  
catastrophes, self-organizing processes, cellular automata, agent- 
based models, network analysis, genetic algorithms and related  
evolutionary processes, dynamical diseases, or closely related  
constructs. The broad mixture of the disciplines represented here  
indicates that many bodies of knowledge share common principles.

The program will include workshops, invited addresses, symposia, panel  
discussions, a poster session, and sessions of individual papers.  
Advances in basic or applied research, developments in theory, reports  
of empirical results and methodological papers are all welcome. We  
continue to encourage all nonlinear scientists, including graduate  
students who might be finishing up a dynamical thesis or dissertation,  
to consider sharing their ideas through paper presentations, chairing  
a roundtable session, or by proposing other alternative presentation  
formats, such as posters, product demonstrations, short workshops, or  
debates around controversial topics.

Abstracts should be submitted electronically by visiting:
http://www.societyforchaostheory.org/conf/2012/cfp
The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2012. We look forward to  
seeing as many of you as possible there!

Warmest regards,

David Pincus, Ph.D., Chapman University, SCTPLS President & Conference  
Chair pincus at chapman.edu
Stephen J. Guastello, Ph.D., Marquette University
Sara Nora Ross, Ph.D., Antioch University, SCTPLS Secretary
Dick Thompson, Ph.D., High Performance Systems, SCTPLS Past-President

THE SOCIETY FOR CHAOS THEORY IN PSYCHOLOGY & LIFE SCIENCES





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