Animal behavior research methods

powerpoint two

Part of animal behavior research is ethograms, what is that?

A list of species-specific behaviors describing the elements and function of each behavior. Categories organized as meaningful distinctions to animal.

What is an exclusive ethogram?

Each behavior performed by animal can only be categorized as one behavior in the ethogram (animal can only be recorded doing one thing at a time)

What rules must be made when observing animal behavior?

Sampling and recording

How behavior is recorded

Recording rules

Which animals to observe and when to observe them is what rule?

Sampling

No systematic constraints (field notes of what and when behavior was observed)

Ad libitum sampling (part of sampling rule)

Technique that focuses on a single individual or unit (mating pair) for a predetermined time recording all instances of the behavior

Focal sampling

Technique in which a census of an entire group and at regular intervals is recorded

Scan sampling

Technique in which the occurrence of the behavior pattern of interest is recorded.

Behavior sampling

When is behavioral sampling used?

When behavior is unusual or rare

What are the two kinds of recordings in recording rules?

Continuous and time

Observation includes all occurrences of behavior during an observation period

Continuous recording

Measures frequency, duration, and latencies of behavior pattern

Continuous recording

Example of continuous recording

Video record

Sample points are taken at regular intervals

Time recording

Lacks true behavioral frequency

Time recording

Example of time recording

Time line

What are the two kinds of time recordings within the recording rules?

Instantaneous time recording and one-zero time

Behavior is recorded at specific time points

Instantaneous time recording

Behavior is recorded having occurred (+) or not occurred (-) in the sample interval

One-zero time recording

What is required to make data-forms?

Defining units of behavior, including columns and rows, and coding

Grouping behavior is columns/rows

columns

Individual behaviors or subjects are in columns/rows

rows

What are the three codes?

Behavior, time and spatial

Preening (Pr), pecking (Pc), and resting (Re) are which kind of codes?

Behavior

(1/1) first time period, first minute; (3/5) third sample, fifth minute are examples of which codes?

Time codes

Location: South East Quadrant (SE) is an example of which code?

Spatial

For a sample behavior data form, which sample from the powerpoint is used?

Instantaneous time scan sample

Preference tests where animals are given free choice between several options is called what?

Behavior indices

What are association indices?

Quantifying social relationships between animals

Descriptive technique for the purpose of documenting a species/behavior as it occurs naturally is naturalistic observation/experimental manipulation

Naturalistic observation

True or false: in naturalistic observation, observation has to be done in the wild

False, it does not exclusively have to be done in the wild

Empirical technique for the purpose of identifying cause and effect relationships is naturalistic observation/experimental manipulation

experimental manipulation

What are the types of studies on animal behavior?

Natural, abnormal, ecological