Research Focus

Mission. Established in 2020 at the University of Tsukuba, the Behavioral Design Laboratory studies human interaction and designs futures where diversity is not treated as disability. Grounded in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), we use single-case experimental designs and psychological experiments to systematically analyze behavior. To describe, predict, and influence social interaction, we work across disciplines and institutions, integrating computer vision, wearable devices, socially assistive robots, motion capture, and smart clothing. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and real-world implementations, we aim to create inclusive environments and bridge behavioral science and society by turning evidence into practical solutions.

1) Designing Behavior in Autism Support (InfoTech × PsychTech)

We measure and modify behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially when social interaction is challenging—developing and evaluating technology-enhanced behavior support systems that combine information science and psychology.

Selected lines of work

• Mechanisms of contingent imitation via acoustic analysis
• Wearable-based feedback to increase social engagement
• Measuring self-injurious behavior with accelerometers
• Remote parent support using a behavioral observation app
• Quantifying classroom social interaction with computer vision
• Interfaces for gaze visualization to assess social communication
• Facilitating social play with paired robotic devices
• Capturing & augmenting face-to-face behavior using wearables
• Monitoring sleep HRV with smart clothing
• Modeling therapist–child interpersonal distance via motion capture

2) Designing Behavior in Dyadic Spoken Interaction

We identify determinants of interaction quality in real-world dyadic conversations and design more effective, adaptive patterns of interpersonal communication.

Selected lines of work

• Effects of supervisor training on 1-on-1 meetings in organizations
• Impact of face visibility on response behavior among individuals with a history of selective mutism
• Behavioral skills training (BST) for simulated job interviews
• BST targeting how people receive feedback
• Effects of face visibility in video calls on task engagement
• Discriminative function of others’ approach/avoidance as a consequence of visual fixation

3) Designing Verbal Behavior: Integrating Theory, Learning, and Everyday Use

Building on Skinner’s Verbal Behavior, we study how language acquires and generalizes new stimulus functions, from efficient learning procedures to long-term, everyday language use.

Selected lines of work

• Comparing learning conditions for untrained stimulus relations in foreign-vocabulary acquisition
• Effects of rehearsal and articulatory suppression on language learning
• Experience Sampling Method (ESM) predictors of daily well-being
• Equivalence-based instruction (EBI) for learning statistical hypothesis testing
• Exploring gender stereotypes with the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP)
• Developing the Japanese version of the Evasive Attitudes of Sexual Orientation Scale

At a glance: ABA · single-case designs · psychological experiments · computer vision · wearables & smart clothing · socially assistive robots · motion capture · remote/parent-mediated support · inclusive design · in-the-wild studies