Wageningen, May 1994 – David Dickens (University of Liverpool) and Roger Clark (Liverpool Institute of Higher Education) are the authors of the Video Course in Behavioural Observation, a series of four volumes, which exploites the potential of video to provide stimulating and effective training in the scientific methods and procedures of observing behaviour. The course is designed to instruct inexperienced students of psychology or behavioural biology.

Volume 1 introduces the basic approach of classical ethology and demonstrates the initial difficulties of observing and categorizing behaviour. This volume starts with students on a field trip relating their confused first impressions of a busy gull colony and how they gradually “get their eye in”. The kittiwake gull with its well-known adaption to a cliff habitat is introduced as an example species. In the first task, viewers are first required to describe a sequence of kittiwake behaviour in their own terms, and after a slow-motion debriefing are introduced to the principle of categorization. On a series of short episodes, with interpolated debriefings, they are then trained to recognize three specific behavioural categories and then have a longer exercise putting this training to work.

Volumes 2-4 deal with the types of questions asked, the nature and application of categories, different methods of recording behaviour, inter-observer reliability, sampling methods, and analyzing the data obtained. In these volumes different animal species will be used.

Design – Each video is designed to be used as a self-contained practical lasting about three hours, for students to use singly or in groups, with or without an instructor. It includes the exercises, all write-ups required (based on scoring sheets) and an instructor’s guide. Volumes 2-4 will include excerpts from The Observer, software for recording, coding and analysis of series of events, allowing students to familiarize with computerized recording and simple analysis.

Availability – The course is available directly from Noldus Information Technology or from international distributors. Volume 1 is currently available (in NTSC and PAL format), volume 2 is scheduled for release in autumn 1994, while the other volumes are to follow next year.

Noldus Information Technology specializes in the development of computer products and services for behavioural and observational research. Besides The Observer, the company offers EthoVision, a system for the automatic recording of activity, movement and interactions of animals, as well as consulting and training in behaviour research methods and techniques.

For more information, please contact the product manager of education tools.