Unit 2 - Topic 1 - Field techniques for Biologists - Section E - Measuring and Recording Animal Behaviour

Question 1

What are measurements used to quantify animal behaviour

Answer 1

Latency, frequency and duration

Question 2

What is latency

Answer 2

Latency is the time between the stimulus
occurring and the response behaviour.

Question 3

What is frequency

Answer 3

Frequency is the number of times a behaviour occurs within the observation period.

Question 4

What is duration

Answer 4

Duration is the length of time each behaviour
occurs during the observation period.

Question 5

What is an ethogram

Answer 5

Lists species-specific behaviours to be observed and recorded in the study. Recording the duration of each of the behaviours in the ethogram, together with the total time of observation, allows the proportion of time spent on each behaviour to be calculated in the time budget.

Question 6

Why is it important to avoid using anthropomorphism when analysing behaviour

Answer 6

Anthropomorphism can lead to invalid conclusions.