Measuring Behavior

Question 1

What are the different approaches to measuring behavior?

Answer 1

• psychology-> focus more on how behavior works and how it develops. LABORATORY
• Ethology-> Focuses more on what the behavior is for and why it evolved. FIELD SETTING

Question 2

What are some types of measures? (3)

Answer 2

1. Latency
2. Frequency (total # of occurrences)
3. Duration

Question 3

What is the latency measure?

Answer 3

the time from some specified event to the onset of the first occurrence of behavior

Question 4

What is the Frequency measure?

Answer 4

the number of occurrences of the behavior pattern per unit time

Question 5

What is the duration measure?

Answer 5

The length of time for which a single occurrence of the behavior pattern lasts

Question 6

What are events?

Answer 6

behavior patterns of relatively short duration which happen as points in time
eg: vocalizations, ear twitch

Question 7

What are states?

Answer 7

behavior patterns of relatively long duration where duration can be measured
eg: proximity to others, body postures, feeding

Question 8

What are some recording methods?

Answer 8

1. Ad libitum sampling
2. focal sampling
3. scan sampling

Question 9

What is ad libitum sampling?

Answer 9

write down whatever is visible or seems relevant

Question 10

What is focal sampling?

Answer 10

observe one individual for a specified amount of time and record all instances of behavior

Question 11

What is scan sampling?

Answer 11

a group is scanned or ‘censused’ at regular intervals and the behaviors of individuals recorded

Question 12

What are some recording rules?

Answer 12

1. Continuous or all occurrence recording

2. Time sampling

Question 13

What is Continuous or all occurrence recording?

Answer 13

measures true frequencies and durations of behavior patterns

Question 14

What are two types of time sampling?

Answer 14

1. instantaneous sampling

2. One-zero sampling

Question 15

What is instantaneous sampling?

Answer 15

• scan or fixed interval point time sampling

- when beep occurs record behavior pattern

Question 16

What is One-zero sampling?

Answer 16

at end of time interval record whether a behavior occurred or not

Question 17

What are two kinds of relaiability?

Answer 17

1. Within observer reliability

2. Between observer reliability

Question 18

What is within observer reliability?

Answer 18

single observer obtaining consistent results when measuring same thing on different occasions.

Question 19

What is between observer reliability?

Answer 19

extent to which two or more observers obtain similar results when measuring the same thing simultaneously