Publications in Behavior Research Methods

Remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) enables non-invasive heart rate (HR) measurement via video, offering a promising tool for remote physiological monitoring. In a previous study, we validated an adapted rPPG algorithm developed by van der Kooij and Naber (Behav Res Methods 51(5):2106–2119, 2019), collecting video via an online platform using a common web browser and comparing results to phone-based HR measurements. In the present study, we extend this methodological pipeline by validating the same refined algorithm and online video collection pipeline against electrocardiogram (ECG) ground-truth measurements. While previous studies have typically relied on online data collection without ECG reference standards or laboratory-based protocols lacking online implementation, our study bridges this gap by directly comparing video data collected through a standard web browser using the Gorilla Experiment Builder platform with simultaneous ECG recordings. We also evaluated the optimal conditions for rPPG accuracy in terms of video duration and distance from the webcam. We recorded 180 videos across five durations (10 s, 25 s, 35 s, 45 s, and 100 s) and two distances (close = 35 cm, far = 50 cm). Results showed excellent agreement between rPPG- and ECG-derived HR, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.96 and 95% of measurements within Bland–Altman limits of agreement. Longer video durations significantly reduced error and variability, while recording distance had no significant effect. Validation of this rPPG pipeline against ECG ground truth establishes the reliability of web-based rPPG measurements, providing a foundation for large-scale online data collection with fidelity comparable to controlled laboratory assessments.

Although psychological theory views behavior as an interaction between person and situation, the measurement of metacognition often relies on situation-free, abstract self-views. To align measurement with interactionist frameworks, we proposed a situated approach, using intellectual humility (IH)—recognizing one’s limits and fallibility—as a proof-of-concept. We validated this approach across diverse populations: English- and Spanish-speaking North Americans (N = 633) and adults from 136 rural Honduran villages (N = 2567). Rather than rating abstract tendencies, participants reconstructed three recent disagreements (freely chosen, wrong, and right) and reported specific behaviors via branching binary probes. This method demonstrated cross-cultural coherence of the IH construct while capturing substantial situational variability. Notably, 74–81% of variance occurred within persons: IH expression fluctuated significantly based on epistemic context (being wrong vs. right) and social dynamics (partner status). These situational effects also fully explained gender differences in the Honduran sample. The situated approach showed efficiency outside Western, educated contexts and helps overcome the humility paradox—wherein the least intellectually humble overclaim their humility. We discuss four principles for aligning measurement with theory—contextual specificity, sampling from actual experiences via event reconstruction, accessibility across diverse populations via branching probes, and modeling within-person variability—offering a framework for assessing metacognitive and self-regulatory constructs beyond the constraints of static dispositional measures.