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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.07.18.498922

nl-DDM: a non-linear drift-diffusion model accounting for the dynamics of single-trial perceptual decisions

Hoxha, I.·Chevallier, S.·Ciarchi, M.·Glasauer, S.·Delorme, A.·Amorim, M.-A.
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Abstract

The Drift-Diffusion Model (DDM) is widely accepted for two-alternative forced-choice decision paradigms thanks to its simple formalism and close fit to behavioral and neurophysiological data. However, this formalism presents strong limitations in capturing inter-trial dynamics at the single-trial level and endogenous influences. We propose a novel model, the non-linear Drift-Diffusion Model (nl-DDM), that addresses these issues by allowing the existence of several trajectories to the decision boundary. We show that the non-linear model performs better than the drift-diffusion model for an equivalent complexity. To give better intuition on the meaning of nl-DDM parameters, we compare the DDM and the nl-DDM through correlation analysis. This paper provides evidence of the functioning of our model as an extension of the DDM. Moreover, we show that the nl-DDM captures time effects better than the DDM. Our model paves the way toward more accurately analyzing across-trial variability for perceptual decisions and accounts for peri-stimulus influences.

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Hoxha, I., Chevallier, S., Ciarchi, M., Glasauer, S., Delorme, A., Amorim, M.-A.. 2022-07-18. nl-DDM: a non-linear drift-diffusion model accounting for the dynamics of single-trial perceptual decisions. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.07.18.498922

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