Lab Objectives:
1.
2.
Introduce field methods for sampling animal behavior.
Gain an understanding of how behavioral research is conducted.
3. Gather behavioral data in the field to test hypotheses and associated predictions.
In any study of behavior that involves watching the animals, selecting the appropriate method(s) of sampling behavior is important. In most field studies of animal behavior, it is impossible to observe and record every behavior of every animal in the group. Therefore, you need to make decisions about which animals to observe and which behaviors are of interest. Those decisions will form the basis for selection of specific behavioral sampling methods. Whether you are interested in behavioral states (e.g., lying, standing, walking) or behavioral events (e.g., grooming, nursing, fighting) also will affect the sampling method you choose.
Table 1: Example Behaviors
Behavioral States (General Categories of Activity – often measured as amount of time in each state):
Standing
Walking/running
Feeding
Lying
Interacting
Playing
S
W
F
L Body is in contact with the ground
I
P
Animal is standing, not moving forward, and not feeding
Animal is moving forward
Animal is feeding (browsing or grazing)
Includes any interactions between 2 or more individuals
Behavior usually exhibited by young animals, and usually defined relative to the species being studied
Behavioral Events (Behaviors that are shorter duration and usually counted rather than timed):
Examples of Behavioral Events between 2 or Examples of Individual Behavioral Events: more individuals:
Sparring/fighting
Vocalizing
Urinating/defecating
Nursing (or attempting to suckle)
Approaching/retreating
Courtship behaviors/copulating
Scratching (grooming)
Flehmen (lip-curl)
Pawing/scraping
For Behavioral State data, we are often interested in the amount of time that an animal spends doing different activities. So, data are usually collected and analyzed to represent the proportion of time during which animals were observed that they were doing a particular activity (e.g, feeding, walking, etc.). In contrast, Behavioral Event data are usually recorded as a frequency (number of times the event occurred over the time that the animals were observed). Some behaviors might fit in both categories (e.g., nursing) because we might be interested in how both long and how often such behaviors are performed
Sampling methods for behaviors:
1.
Ad-libitum Sampling: Record the behaviors of individuals or groups with little or no reference to specific, well-defined methods. This is a good method for initial observations and question formation for later research, but is limited in the quantity and quality of data produced.
2.
Focal Animal Sampling: The researcher selects one individual to be the primary focus of observation. The researcher records either 1) all behaviors of that individual, or 2) all occurrences of specific behaviors of interest that the focal animal exhibits, during a set period of time. Individuals may be chosen randomly from all members of the population, or may be chosen with some specific criteria in mind
(by age, sex, or reproductive status). This technique is useful for providing data on specific behaviors and is more reproducible than ad-libitum sampling.

3.
All-Occurrences Sampling: The researcher selects one or a few specific behavioral events and records every occurrence of that (those) behavior(s) within the animal group (every occurrence of grooming, chasing, etc.). This technique is especially useful in determining the rate, frequency, or synchrony of occurrence of specific behaviors.
4.
Scan Sampling: The researcher records the instantaneous activity or behavioral state of all animals in the group at predetermined time intervals (e.g., once per minute). It is impossible to record the behavior of all individuals instantaneously, but the researcher attempts to do so in as short a time period as possible.
The behaviors should be well defined so that scanning is made easier. This method is useful for understanding the frequency with which all animals in the group display certain behaviors or behavioral states.
Methods:
1.
Develop one prediction about vigilance that you will test.
2.
Use scan-sampling methods to record activity (state) of groups at 5-min intervals.
3.
Use all-occurrences sampling for a specific behavioral event (like grooming or sparring). You will watch the animals continuously between your 5-min. scans and tally occurrences for the behavior.
4.
Before beginning observations, spend some time watching your study animals.
5.
Observe each group for at least 15 minutes, and record data.
Behavioral Data Collection
My Predictions:
For group 1 we are observing (describe the species, group size, location, etc.)
We are also interested in the following behaviors (these should also be listed in your data table below):
Data Table 1: Time Spent Foraging Verses Showing Vigilance
Time # of individuals in group 1 foraging
0 min
# of individuals in group 1 showing vigilance
5 min
10 min
15 min
Total numbers
The number of individual observed in this group was ___________________
Behavior
Data Table 2: Number of Times Behavior Observed
Tallies for times observed Final Total
Data was collected for ___________________ minutes.

Cell Phone Behavior in Waynesboro High School
Texting States
Obvious O No attempt to hide behavior is made.
Subtle
Sneaky
S Subtle attempt at hiding the behavior is made. Cell is under desk, in purse, or otherwise hidden.
N Attempt at tricking others is made. Pretending to look for a pencil, misdirection, watching for teacher, etc.
Teacher States
Static
Minimal
Active
T Teacher stands or sits in one place and is not moving around the room.
M Teacher moves slightly such as pacing around the board or getting up and looking at the class from time to time.
A Teacher walks throughout the classroom continuously.
Data table 3: Cell Phone Behavior in School
My Predictions:
For cell phone study we are observing (describe the species, group size, location, etc.)
Time
0 min
Coding for students Coding for teacher
5 min
10 min
15 min
20 min
25 min
30 min
Total numbers
By code

Discussion (Did you support your prediction or not? Explain why!! What assumptions did you make?
What other factors might also influence your results? What problems did you encounter?)
Please write at least 5 full sentences. This short paragraph is worth most of your points for this entire lab!!!
Challenges: What were some challenges that you faced during this field experiment. Please discuss at
least 3 things that you learned about the challenges of field experiments though this lab.