P8: Behavioural Experimentation in Software

As we delve into the vast world of open source projects on GitHub, we encounter a unique and intriguing project, P8. P8 stands as a behavioural experimentation tool. Designed with the specific goal of moving psychological research forward, it focuses on experiments in attention and observation, two fundamental aspects of the human psyche. This project's significance lies in its potential to facilitate and expedite the research process, providing researchers with a tool that opens the door to new discoveries in the realm of human behavior.

Project Overview:

Conceived with the aim of advancing psychological research, P8 focuses on enabling behavioural experiments, specifically in the field of attention. It aids in the collection and analysis of experimental data, catering to the needs of psychologists, researchers, and students in the field. It addresses the need for hassle-free, scalable, and user-friendly tools to run experiments and gather data.

Project Features:

P8 comes packed with a plethora of features. It primarily allows users to run and monitor several behavioural experiments. Users can import experiments, manage participants, and visualize goal-tracking all within P8's intuitive UI. For instance, one could conduct an experiment on selective visual attention by using a task in which participants must identify and click on a specific item amongst distractors on the screen.

Technology Stack:

At the core of P8's operation is a well-integrated technology stack that includes Node.js, Express, and MongoDB. Node.js offers a JavaScript runtime environment while Express.js facilitates rapid server-side programming. MongoDB is employed for handling the seamless management of the database. These technologies offer scalability and efficiency, making P8 an effective tool for experimental research.

Project Structure and Architecture:

P8 adopts a modular structure where different tasks are divided into different components and modules. The primary components include an experiment manager, a task designer, and a data collector, among others. These components work in harmony and interact effectively to streamline the research process. The architecture adheres to the fundamental principles of separation of concerns – each module handles specific tasks, contributing to the overall functioning of the system.