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Rating vs. coding in animal personality research.
Lauren Highfill1, David Hanbury, Rachel Kristiansen
1Department of Psychology, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida 33711, USA. highfile@eckerd.edu
Zoo Biology
|October 15, 2009
Summary
Animal personality research confirms individual differences in Garnett's bushbabies. The study highlights how rater experience impacts personality assessments, emphasizing context in animal behavior studies.
Area of Science:
- Comparative psychology
- Animal behavior
Background:
- Animal personality research investigates individual differences in behavior.
- Two primary methods, rating and coding, are used to assess these differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine personality in Garnett's bushbabies (Otolemur garnettii) using both rating and coding methods.
- To evaluate the influence of rater experience on personality assessment.
Main Methods:
- Applied the rating method, relying on human scorers' experience with animals.
- Applied the coding method, focusing on immediate behavior in specific contexts.
- Studied a group of 10 Garnett's bushbabies.
Main Results:
- Confirmed the existence of individual personalities in bushbabies.
- Demonstrated that the rating method is significantly influenced by the rater's familiarity with the animal.
- The coding method provides context-specific behavioral data.
Conclusions:
- Individual personalities are present in Garnett's bushbabies.
- Rater experience is a critical factor to consider when using the rating method for animal personality assessment.
- Future research should account for rater-animal interactions.
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