Split Run is a scientific method for studying the behavior of individuals within a population. This method was developed by John B. Calhoun in the late 1950s and has been used in many areas of scientific research, including neuroscience, psychology, and evolutionary biology. The term “split run” refers to the fact that experiments are conducted in two groups—a “control” group and an “experimental” group. The control group is exposed to the same environmental conditions as the experimental group, but no treatments or interventions are applied to either group. This allows researchers to compare the behaviors of the two groups in order to test hypotheses and draw conclusions about the effects of treatments, interventions, or other factors.
Split run is typically employed in experiments involving animal populations. A researcher will divide the population into two groups, control and experimental, and then apply treatments or interventions to the experimental group only. The researcher will then measure the behavior of the two groups and compare the results. For example, a researcher might use a split run design to study the effects of a new drug on a population of mice. The researcher would divide the mice into two groups, control and experimental, and then administer the drug to the experimental group. By comparing the behavior of the two groups, the researcher can determine whether the drug has had a significant effect on the mice in the experimental group.
Split runs are often used to study the effects of environmental changes on animal populations. For example, a researcher might use a split run design to study the effects of habitat destruction on a species of bird. The researcher would divide the birds into two groups, control and experimental, and then expose the experimental group to the effects of habitat destruction. By measuring the behaviors of the two groups, the researcher can determine whether the habitat destruction has had a significant impact on the birds in the experimental group.
Split run is a valuable tool for studying the behavior of animal populations. It can help researchers draw meaningful conclusions about the effects of treatments, interventions, or environmental changes on individuals within a population. Split run is a powerful tool for furthering our understanding of animal behavior.
References
Calhoun, J. B. (1959). Population density and social pathology. Scientific American, 200(6), 139-148.
Flaming, A. (2015). Split-run designs in animal behavior research. Animal Behavior & Cognition, 2(1), 1-6.
Karp, D. S. (2011). Animal behavior: Mechanisms, ecology, and evolution (4th ed.). Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates.