A COMPARISON OF INDIRECT MEASURES FOR LONG‐DURATION BEHAVIORS1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A computer program was developed to stimulate long-duration behavior [animal]. The program generated data by using 2 time-series models linked together by a covariance parameter. By varying the parameters of the program, the characteristics of the simulated behavior were altered, including the mean and variance of the durations of behavior, the mean and variance of the interresponse time, and the degree of relationship within and between durations of behavior and interresponse times. Four data-collection methods were applied to the simulated data: whole interval, partial interval, momentary time-sampling and continuous measures. The accuracies of the first 3 recording measures were judged by comparing them to the continuous measure. Only the momentary time-sampling approach yielded unbiased results. The degree of bias for the whole and partial interval measures was a function of the ratio of the interval recording length to the sum of the mean duration of behavior and the mean interresponse time. Researchers cannot estimate the magnitudes of these latter 2 parameters for most behaviors of interest and are unable to choose an appropriate interval length. It was recommended that the use of interval recording approaches be greatly restricted and that momentary time-sampling be substituted where possible.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: