Lecture 8

Question 1

What is to observe

Answer 1

1. Look with attention

Question 2

Why observe?

Answer 2

May bring some benefits for curiosity

Question 3

What does a question formulate

Answer 3

Problem that you want to investigate

Question 4

What kind of questions can you ask

Answer 4

Broad
Based on existing knowledge and theory

Question 5

What can influence the choice of a particular question

Answer 5

Previous knowledge
Interests and observations made in the course of other research
Priorities of the group I’m which you work

Question 6

Types of observations

Answer 6

Direct observations
Invasive, non invasive

Indirect
Non invasive

Preliminary

Question 7

What can you observe with

Answer 7

Own sensorial resources : sound smell vision
Or
Using equipment

Question 8

Direct observations

Answer 8

Observed in real time at the moment in which the behaviour occurs,
Can be made with a present observer , visual, additive

Question 9

Invasive observation

Disadvantages, how to mirage that

Answer 9

Animals know that observer is there
Disadvantages, observer can change the behavioural expression of animal

Work can be done to reduce the impact through habituation or camouflage. Hard cause they can still smell you

Question 10

Noninvasive

Answer 10

Animal can’t see you so doesn’t change their behaviour
Use equipment like camera, microphones, gps collar, radio telemetry, sensors
Sound of equipment can still influence the behaviour like bats and sound waves

Question 11

Indirect observations

Answer 11

Non invasive

Based on consequences of the behaviour. Like foot prints, poop

Question 12

Example
How much does the cattle eat
How does the cattle eat

Answer 12

Indirect observation, known quantity then leftovers
Direct observation

Question 13

Preliminary observations

Answer 13

Make them before starting research to understand both the subject and behaviour you intend to measure

Question 14

Why are preliminary observations important

Answer 14

Provided raw material for formulating questions and hypothesis

Necessary to choose the right measures and recording methods

Promotes habituation of animals to the presence of the observer

Allows the observer to train so that their data is reliable

Question 15

Hat do you do during preliminary observations

Answer 15

Search
Study
Understand
Generate/ refine questions
Search again

Question 16

Hypothesis formulation

Answer 16

Aims to find best explanations for the questions
Larger the number of plausible competing hypotheses that are formulated the better

Question 17

Example hypothesis to question
Why is the hen without feathers on its back
Example answers

Answer 17

The feathers are falling off
Hen is picking at its own feathers
Other hens are picking at her feathers

Question 18

Predictions formulation

Answer 18

More specific the easier it is to distinguish between competing hypotheses

Question 19

Example of predictions

Answer 19

The hens don’t have enough space
The hens aren’t getting environmental enrichment

Question 20

What is an objective

Answer 20

Express the intention or aspiration of the study
Summarizes in a single sentence what you hope to achieve by the end of the research project

Question 21

Objective kinds

Answer 21

General and specific
Example
General is evaluate different causes of feather peaking

Specific
Evaluate the effect of space allowance on the expression of feather picking in hens
Evaluate the effect of environmental enrichment on the expression of feather picking in hens

Question 22

How to describe behaviour

Answer 22

Structure - appearance physical form or temporal pattern of behaviour
or
consequence - the fetching of the subjects behaviour in the environment in other individuals or on itself

Spatial relation. Where or with whom the behaviour is

Question 23

What sorts of categories to choose

Answer 23

Enough to describe the behavior in enough detail to answer q
Summarize as much info as possible
Independent of one another

Question 24

Ethogram

Answer 24

Catalogue of descriptions of discrete species typical behaviour patterns that form the basic behavioural repertoire of the species

Question 25

What to make sure when defining categories

Answer 25

Clear Comprehensive Unambiguous

Question 26

Types of definitions

Answer 26

Operational Ostensive

Question 27

When are Operational used

Answer 27

Measuring consequences of behaviour

Question 28

Ostensive

Answer 28

Should be sufficiently precise and detailed to enable another observer to record the same things in the same way

Question 29

Types of categories

Answer 29

States: behaviour patterns measured by time. Sleep eat walk , events behaviour patterns iof short duration which can be measures as points in time . Salient feature of events is their frequency. Small, winking localization where animal is. Ear c,and, near drinker posture lying, standing etc

Question 30

What are the variables

Answer 30

Measures of the categories

Question 31

How can you describe behaviour

Answer 31

Nominal or numerical

Question 32

Nominal or categorical scale

Answer 32

Assigning name to measure. Qualitative and active

Question 33

Ordinal or ranking scale

Answer 33

Arranged along a scale according to a common property. Number assigned to each measurement is a rank

Question 34

Interval scale

Answer 34

Scores can be placed on a scale so the distance between two measurements is meaningful 0 point is made up

Question 35

Ratio scale

Answer 35

Highest level of measurement is attained when scale has All properties of an interval scale but has a true zero point Independent of unit of measurement True frequencies , durations and latencies are measured like this

Question 36

Different variable s

Answer 36

Frequency, duration, latency, intensity, velocity

Question 37

Frequency

Answer 37

How many times a behaviour occurs per unit of time

Question 38

Duration

Answer 38

Length of time for which a single occurrence of the behaviour pattern lasts Example how long did the baby pig remains in the maze Time budget, provide info about how animals spend their time, generally presented as the proportion of time that the animal spends in diff activities

Question 39

Latency

Answer 39

Time from some specified event to the onset of the first occurrence of the behaviour Example how long till the baby touches the mama cow

Question 40

Intensity

Answer 40

No universal def Create arbitrary parameters as indices of intensity

Question 41

Velocity

Answer 41

No universal def Example leaving chute flight speed

Question 42

Sampling rules

Answer 42

Defines subject of study Can focus on individuals or groups

Question 43

Types of sampling rules

Answer 43

Ad Libitum Focal Scan Behaviour sampling

Question 44

Ad libitum

Answer 44

Observer notes down what is visible and seems relevant at the time Recording rare and important events and can be important for preliminary No systemic constraints are placed on what is recorded or when Recording is continuous

Question 45

Focal

Answer 45

Observing one individual or litter for a specific amount of time Most satisfactory approach when studying groups Can be difficult in field studies as individual may leave or disappear

Question 46

Scan

Answer 46

Whole group of subjects scanned at intervals and all behaviour at that instant is recorded Usually restricts the observer to recording only one or a few simple categories of behaviour Animals don’t need to be identified Recording g rule must be instantaneous

Question 47

Behaviour sampling

Answer 47

Watching whole group and recording occurs me of a particular type of behaviour Used for recording rare but significant behaviour Often used in conjunction with focal or scan Use continuous recording rule

Question 48

Recording rules

Answer 48

Continuous Time sampling

Question 49

Continuous

Answer 49

Aims to provide and exact and faithful record of behaviour Each occurrence of the behaviour pattern is observed Can be labour and time intensive Measuring true freq and duration and the times ar which behaviours start and stopped

Question 50

Time sampling / interval of time And the division a

Answer 50

Sampling behaviour periodically. End of each sample interval is known as a sample point . Instantaneous sampling One zero sampling

Question 51

Instantaneous

Answer 51

Divide into short intervals Instant of whether or not a given behaviour pattern is occuring

Question 52

One zero

Answer 52

Again divided up into short sample intervals On the instant if each sample point you record whether or not the behaviour pattern has occurred during the preceding sample interval Doesn’t take into account how often or for how long the behaviour pattern happens

Question 53

Pros and cons of time sampling

Answer 53

Doesn’t give accurate estimates of frequency or duration unless the sample interval is short relative to the average duration of the behaviour pattern Not generally suitable for recording sequences of behaviour unless the sample interval is very short

Question 54

The methods should be what

Answer 54

Feasible Relatable and valid