Process / pipelineObservational Technique
Scan Sampling
Scan Sampling (also called instantaneous sampling) is a behavioral observation method in which an observer records the state of all group members simultaneously at regular time intervals. Introduced alongside focal animal sampling by Jeanne Altmann in 1974, scan sampling is efficient for quantifying activity budgets and group-level behavioral patterns in multiple animals without the labor of focal observation.
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Sources
- Altmann, J. (1974). Observational study of behavior: sampling methods. Behaviour, 49(3-4), 227-267. DOI: 10.1163/156853974X00534 ↗
- Martin, P., & Bateson, P. P. (1993). Measuring Behaviour: An Introductory Guide (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. link ↗
- Coad, N., Al-Rasheid, K. A., & Sluydts, V. (2002). Instantaneous sampling of group-living primates. Primates, 43(2), 105-110. DOI: 10.1007/BF02629640 ↗