Questions for Altman, 1974
Remember that in 1974, VCRs had not been invented. Recording animal behavior and quantifying it had not yet begun. Also, they were concerned with both field investigations where it was difficult to see all the animals (say in a group of chimps).
Observe the video clip of sow behavior in a crate. The clip is:
1. State an unambiguous research question about animal behavior. Use your favorite animal species and a single behavior of interest to you.
2. Why does Altman say we need to develop sensitive measures of behavior similar in sensitivity to laboratory assays?
3. What is the difference between internal and external validity of a study?
4. Re-state the following statement using your animal and your selected behavior: “Internal validity should not be purchased through complete loss of external validity.” [p 230]
5. What is the difference between a behavioral state and event? Use your behavior as an example.
6. What is a conditional probability?
7. Define and give an example of:
o Ad Libitum sampling
o Sociometric matrix (what is a dyad?)
o Focal animal sampling
o Sampling all occurrences of some behaviors
o Sequence sampling
o One-zero sampling
o Scan sampling
8. What statistical analyses are possible with ad libitum sampling? What the the 3 sources of failure for Ad Libitum sampling?
9. How would one determine observer agreement?
10. Which sampling method does she propose is best to estimate the % of time animals are engaged in a certain behavior? Do you think this is an accurate method? How would you determine if scan sampling is accurate?