A microcomputer method for recording and analysing behavioural elements

The trend in ethology, psychopharmacology and behaviour genetics is to get increasingly higher resolution of the behaviour of animals, since it increases the sensitivity of the tests used. Consequently the higher resolution requires an increased data-logging efficiency, and a decreased time-investment for data handling. In this paper a method for inexpensive microcomputers is presented, which enables an individual experimenter to obtain frequency, relative duration and its variance from as many behavioural elements as desired.