Methods after first midterm: 9 Measuring neural and behavioural processes Flashcards
(35 cards)
2 types of observational methods
quantitative (systematic observatinos; frequency, duration) and qualitative (descriptive and interpretive, subjective)
what are ostensive definitions
Allow you to define a behaviour so everyone can agree what it looks like
Can measure behaviour in sense of counting it
Can evaluatie duration of that behaviour
Can come up with interval info - between first and second operance of that behaviour ___ time passed
Can define intensity of behaviour - gerbils fighting
why is defining behaviours important - ostensive definitions
the magnitude of a behaviour e.g. gerbils biting vs nibbling
types of observational observations
- naturalistic obvservations (lab)
2. systematic obvservations (field or lab)
what are we measuring in observational approach?
events (dynamic) ex: behavioural, electrophysiological and states (static) ex: signs, symptoms, traits , binary info (yes/no)
definition________: catalog/list of behaviours going to observe to help with ostensive definitions
ethogram
how do we describe dynamic processes
studying the causes/ triggers of a process, studying the process itself, studying the consequences of a process on an organism
order of the start of studying behavioural patterns
choose: species individuals/groups behaviours measures sampling rules recording rules
when studying a single behaviour what are you looking at
- direct obvs of behaviour: often qualitative, idiographic, longitudinal and descriptives
- interest in patterns of behaviour (more or less stereotyped movements or actions)
describe intra-observer consistency
when each observer records or interprets behaviours the same way by themselves
decribe inter-observer consistency
consistency of recording and scoring between all observing
what does “define the boundaries” within observational researchers mean
good to define where a behaviour starts and stop - “bouts” - and clusters of behaviours, acts, actions or events - hard to do but important when counting behaviours
types of sampling methodologies
behaviour or event sampling: focus on specific, target, behaviours (ex: everytime jack yawns)
scan or time sampleing: focus on specific time periods/ intervals (every 5 minutes take 1 min of data example)
focal or individual sampling: focus on one animal/ individual (ex: focusing on observing one gorilla)
what are kappa coefficients/ kenall coefficients?
indexes of concordance - the score of consistency of recording and scoring between all the observers.
what is ad libitum sampling
sitting down to observe ans taking not of what you find interesting - no constrainsts on what is recorded and when it is recorded
explain time sampling - continuous recording
all-occurances are recorded or scored
explain time sampling - instantaneous sampling:
on the beep is behaviour occuring? score yes or no
good for long durations events or common events
explain microstructure of behaviour
(why? - know of an issue trying to analyze whats causing it) gives goldmind of info - good for neuroscience and a detailed observation of behaviour
good for social/ forensics psychology (ex: facial detections at airport - angry french man)
explain the macrostructure of behaviour
(whats happening big picture; don’t know what the issue is ex: fish are dying but don’t know why) generally processes - ex: behavioural ecotoxicilogy (Judy Vice) decrease predator avoidance and decreased prey-capture rates
what is original class of thought about behaviour
behaviour comes from motion/ movement
what is common between “motivation, “emotion”, “hormone”, “endocrine”
they all carry the meaning of motion
Parameter: number or count (describe diff b/w occurance and frequency)
occurance: how many times
frequency: how often
parameter: latency - explain
time between behaviours
ex: reaction time
parameter: duration
the length the behvaiour - start and stop are important
