Faculty Mentor
John Neill
Major/Area of Research
Physics, Mathematics
Description
A Novel Method for the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior
A novel data analysis method was developed and conducted on data
collected in an earlier behavioral experiment. The data were re-analyzed
in the present study by compiling the data into paired serial rank order
(PSRO). Thus, in the first session, a pair of animals, a control animal and a
experimental animal, were selected because both had the lowest number
of errors in their group for that session. Then, the next pair of animals with
the second best performance were compared, then the third best pair were
compared, etc. PSRO analysis was conducted for every one of 12 training
sessions. Individual animals in the experimental group almost always
performed worse when compared to a PSRO control animal, even though the
rank order of individual animals often changed. The resulting PSRO graphs
show much clearer differences visually than group averaged data that are
typically analyzed.
Included in
A Novel Method for the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior
A Novel Method for the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior
A novel data analysis method was developed and conducted on data
collected in an earlier behavioral experiment. The data were re-analyzed
in the present study by compiling the data into paired serial rank order
(PSRO). Thus, in the first session, a pair of animals, a control animal and a
experimental animal, were selected because both had the lowest number
of errors in their group for that session. Then, the next pair of animals with
the second best performance were compared, then the third best pair were
compared, etc. PSRO analysis was conducted for every one of 12 training
sessions. Individual animals in the experimental group almost always
performed worse when compared to a PSRO control animal, even though the
rank order of individual animals often changed. The resulting PSRO graphs
show much clearer differences visually than group averaged data that are
typically analyzed.