Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for characterizing a multidimensional distribution of responses from the objects in a populations subject to a perturbation. The methods enable the creation of a “degree of response” scale interpolated from non-perturbed and perturbed reference populations. The methods enables, using the interpolated degree of response scale, the quantitation of a degree of response of a test compound subject to a given level of perturbation, and enables the generation of a dose-response curve for a test compound. The methods are useful in a wide range of applications, such cellular analysis and high-content screening of compounds, as carried out in pharmaceutical research.