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Hypothesis and Ethograms

Hypothesis and Ethograms. Dr. John McGlone and Dr. Anna Johnson Week 3 Thursday 15 th February 2007.

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Hypothesis and Ethograms

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  1. Hypothesis and Ethograms Dr. John McGlone and Dr. Anna Johnson Week 3 Thursday 15th February 2007

  2. Students please note: I have included quite a few links to web pages that will help define and explain concepts in this (and future weeks) slides. Therefore, for the links to work you need to be on-line and have access to the internet.

  3. Today • Delineation of research • Rules of an ethogram • How to calculate sample size • Animal identification

  4. Delineation of research

  5. What is this? • What are the questions • Stating objectives • Stating research hypothesis • Designing the experiment

  6. What are the questions? “What relationship exists between two or more variables?” “What is the relationship between flock size and frequency of agonistic encounters?”

  7. Stating objectives Question: “What is the relationship between flock size and frequency of agonistic encounters?” The objective of the research is to determine that relationship.

  8. Stating research hypothesis Question: “What is the relationship between flock size and frequency of agonistic encounters?” Objective: To determine that relationship Hypothesis: Agonistic interactions increase with increasing flock size in the domestic chicken

  9. Watching vs. observing! Level Perceive a question 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Choice of subjects • Choose behaviors • Define behaviors • Select the recording medium • Select your sampling rules • Practice Species oriented Concept oriented Reconnaissance Obs Delineation of research Design research Replicate Exp. Manipulation Naturalistic Obs. Data collection Support? Analysis Interpretation Disprove? Lehner, 1979

  10. Rules of an ethogram

  11. “Note to students… Published ethograms vary enormously in content and detail. A rule of thumb is to always consider that if a stranger wanted to precisely replicate your study and did not converse with you they should be able to garner all the information that they need from your ethogram!”

  12. Repertoire and catalogue • Repertoire = all the species behaviors • Catalogue = part of the species behaviors also know as an ethogram

  13. What is an ethogram? “An ethogram is a catalogue of the discrete species typical behavior patterns that form the basic repertoire of the species.” Lehner, 1987

  14. Choosing categories… • Enough to describe the behaviors • Social • Maintenance • Categories need to be precisely defined • Categories need to be independent

  15. Students: pick an animal and write down three social and three maintenance behaviors – give a definition for those behaviors as well

  16. Describing the behaviors • Words • Pictures • Video

  17. Types of ethogram - words

  18. Types of ethograms - words

  19. Types of ethograms - words

  20. Types of ethogram – Pictures / words

  21. EFAB… • What is it? • Where can I find it? • EFAB Homepage

  22. Students… • Which one or ones did you prefer and why? • Which pieces did you dislike and why? • From these ethograms could you follow this information and use it in the field? • What is the “perfect” ethogram • Do you think guidelines should be given to ethologists on what detail to include in an ethogram?

  23. How to calculate sample size

  24. Sample size • Why is it important to calculate sample size BEFORE an experiment begins? • What do I need to calculate sample size • Are there tools to help me? • Power calculator

  25. Animal identification Animal tracking through movement will be discussed later in the semester

  26. Wild / Natural • Some species have distinct natural and yet unique patterns • Zebras • Shark fins • Elephant ears • Whisker spots on lions • Or they may have a wound that makes them stand out…..

  27. Experimental • Rings • Tattoos • Skin or fur clipping • Toe - clipping • Ear punching • Collars • Belts • Branding • Transmitters – discuss later Can be for laboratory, farm, zoo or companion animals

  28. Farm animals

  29. Examples of marking animals Courtesy of Jeff Dailey USDA-ARS Lubbock TX

  30. Advantages and disadvantages of marking Lehner, 1979

  31. Behavior changed…. • Colored plastic leg bands worn by zebra finches affect how attractive they are to members of the opposite sex. • Female zebra finches prefer males wearing red leg bands over un-banded males • Males prefer females with black leg bands • Both sexes avoided members of the opposite sex wearing green or blue leg bands! (Burley et al., 1982)

  32. Student Question: From your assigned reading this week; How did the authors identify their animals? Do you think this was the right way to do it?

  33. Student Question: Do you think ethologist become biased towards an individual if they called their subjects human names?

  34. Reading material • Measuring behaviour: An introductory guide. P. Martin and P. Bateson. • Chapter 4 • Influence of colour-banding on the conspecific preferences of zebra finches. Burley et al., 1982 • Handbook of ethological methods. P. Lehner. • Chapters 2 3 4 (7-F)

  35. Homework Assignment • Primary reviewers abstracts to Anna by Monday 12th Feb 2007 Noon Central • Anna will send this out to the group • Secondary reviewers abstract to Anna by Wednesday 14th Feb 2007 by 3 pm Central • Anna will send this out to the group • Students to present their abstracts in class on Thursday 15th Feb. 2007

  36. Homework Assignment • Papers can be found on the class home page: • Class home page

  37. Thanks !

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