For this Big Assignment, you will conduct a simple Primate Behavior Observation study of two different primate
species -- Capuchins (monkey) and Chimpanzees (ape). You will need to start by reading the Primate Behavior
Background Information Packet provided. This has crucial details that you will likely want to reference while
completing the assignment. I have provided a worksheet with instructions and have also outlined the
assignment below. The videos you will need for the assignment are after the outline.
Primate Behavior Big Assignment Outline:
In Part 1, you should watch the primate videos (below) and write everything you see. This is a brainstorming
session. However, be careful that you don't interpret what you're seeing. So, don't write things like "the monkey
is angry". Instead, write things like "one monkey bared its teeth at another monkey." Or another example is,
don't write "the chimpanzees are lazy". Instead, write "the chimpanzees sat on the ground for several minutes."
In Part 2, you will create an activity budget for both species:
First, you must select the behaviors to include in your study. All students must track the behaviors "moving",
"feeding", and "resting". You can choose to track other behaviors as well, but I recommend tracking no more
than six behaviors total. If you include additional behaviors in your activity budget, you must define them on the
worksheet. Page 10 of the Background Information Packet is useful for this section.
Second, you will choose a method for data collection. You can choose either the Focal method or the Scan
method. These methods are covered in depth in the Background Information Packet, but simply speaking
Focal is where you choose one individual and follow their movements for the whole video and Scan is where
you pause the video at regular intervals and count up the number of individuals engaged in each behavior at
that timed interval. Each individual is only assigned to one behavior per interval, so each line of your data sheet
should add up to the same number (if you are also keeping track of those "out of view").
Third, you will collect the data. I have provided examples of data sheets for both a Focal method and a Scan
method in the Background Information Packet. I have also provided blank data tables that you can use (fill in
electronically or print off and fill in manually). Or you can set up a spreadsheet using Excel, Google Sheets,
etc.
Fourth, you will total your data and create pie charts that reflect each species' activity budget. Input the total
data (total number of instances or total duration) for each behavior into a spreadsheet software like Excel and
have it create a pie chart. There are LOTS of online aids to help you here. Just google "how to make a pie
chart in excel". Make sure to include the percentages for each slice of the pie (i.e., each behavior).
In Part 3, you will analyze your activity budgets. That is you will compare the two primate species. The key
here is to cite your data in your comparison; that is, use the actual numbers from your pie charts. For example,
you might say, "The chimpanzees and capuchins both spent a significant portion of time moving, as that was a
behavior that made up 42% of the chimpanzee activity budget and 54% of the capuchin." Note, this
comparison is just a made up example and not representative of actual behavior you might record in these
videos.
In Part 4, you will think about possible reasons for the differences you saw in behavior between the two
species. Why did the capuchins more frequently engage in X behavior while the chimpanzees spent more time
doing Y? Think about their specific enclosures. What was present in one enclosure but not the other? What
happened during the video for one primate that didn't happen for the other? Think about their different body
sizes and social group dynamics (information on this in the background packet); how might that affect the
behavior you saw? Also consider how your methodology might have affected your results; remember, each
method has its pros and cons
Sample Solution