Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Data in the Study of Feeding Behavior in Male Wistar Rats.

ABSTRACT: The first step in a behavioral study is represented by the organization of a suitable ethogram, that is, a formal description of individual components of the behavior. Then, each component of such a behavioral repertoire can be quantified (e.g., how many times it occurs, its duration, percent distribution, latency, etc.). However, it is our contention that the possibility to describe the behavior of a living being by means of hundreds or even thousands of numbers concerning isolated components, disjointed from the comprehensive behavioral architecture, does not imply the possibility to use those numbers to reconstruct the meaning of behavior. Such a level of comprehension requires a qualitative approach based on the analysis of behavioral structure and its underlying dynamics

SUBMITTER: Casarrubea M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6491709 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature