Research Project

The Social Gym

Investigating social behavior and group dynamics in voluntary exercise environments

The Social Gym Project

Project Overview

This project aims to develop a system for monitoring social behaviour and voluntary exercise in group-housed mice. By enabling automated tracking of wheel running and interactions in a shared environment, it seeks to improve the ecological validity of behavioural studies and reduce stress caused by isolation and manual observation.

Research Methodology

Our research methodology employs a multi-faceted approach:

  • Network analysis to map the complex relationships between exercise habits, mental health, and academic performance
  • Large-scale surveys and ecological momentary assessments to capture real-time data on student behaviors and experiences
  • Randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of our behavior-change intervention