observing and measuring behaviour

Question 1

what are the two main ways to describe behaviour?

Answer 1

Question 2

example of an ethrogram

Answer 2

Question 3

Name three aspects that might be important to think of when observing behaviour

Answer 3

• Diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular?
– E.g., tuatara.
• Seasonal changes in behaviour?
– E.g., pre-hibernation.
• Captive animals’ routines?
– E.g., zoo animals and feeding times.

Preliminary observations inform all of these things.

Question 4

name four measurements of behaviour

Answer 4

duration

frequency

latency

intensity

Question 5

what describes state and what describes even behaviour?

Answer 5

state:

• long duration
• extended activity
• postures

events:

• short duration
• discrete behaviour
• frequency

Question 6

what is ad libitum sampling?

Answer 6

no specific rules, record ‘as much as you can’

Question 7

what is focal sampling?

Answer 7

focus on one individual/dyad/group.
• Additional information can be useful, e.g., who agonistic
behaviour is directed towards.

Question 8

what is scan sampling?

Answer 8

group is assessed at regular intervals.
• Used with recording rule ‘instantaneous sampling’.
• Have rules/systems for large groups, e.g., left  right, count to 5,
etc. Put these in place before the formal observations.

Question 9

what is behaviour sampling?

Answer 9

concentrate on a behaviour/class of behaviours.
• Frequently used with focal, scan sampling.

Question 10

pros and cons of the four different sampling methods

Answer 10

Question 11

what is continuous recording?

Answer 11

record exactly what happens, when.
• Start and stop times of every behaviour.
– Duration, frequency, latency.

Question 12

what is time sampling/instantaneous sampling?

Answer 12

observation period split
into regular time intervals, when recordings are taken.
• Produces proportions, e.g., centipede locomoting in 86/100
sample points (0.86).

Question 13

what is time sampling/one-zero sampling?

Answer 13

at each sample point, note
presence/absence of behaviour in preceding period.
• Proportions, e.g., occurred in 33/100 sample periods (0.33).
– Number of occurrences is not recorded.

Question 14

pros and cons of different recording methods

Answer 14

Question 15

how would you sample the behaviour of a large group without getting confused?

Answer 15

e.g., left to right, count to 5, then record, move on.

Question 16

what is the “observer effect” and how can it be mitigated?

Answer 16

simple presence can influence animals’ behaviour.
• How can we counter this?
• Some animals will react differently, even within same species

–> have animals get used to observer

Question 17

name four examples that can mess with data collection

Answer 17

• observer drift (inaccuracy can creep in.)
• observer fatigue (when definitions change subtly over time.)
• observer effect (simple presence can influence animals’ behaviour)
• observer bias (expectations (hopes) about findings)

Question 18

what increases the consistency of data analysis ?

Answer 18

Especially if long-term study, or different researchers working on
separate animals.
• Inter-observer reliability: check consistency of same
measurements by different people.
• Intra-observer reliability: check consistency of same
measurements by same person.
• Often via video analysis.