Analysis of behavioral patterns based on the ideas of Kolmogorov complexity: a search for a common methodological approach in ethology and psychology

Studying of behavioural stereotypes is within the fields of ethology and psychology. As a tool for quantitative description of stereotypes we suggest the newly elaborated method based on ideas of Kolmogorov complexity (Ryabko, Reznikova, Druzyaka, Panteleeva, 2013). For the analysis of ethograms as a biological «texts», we use the method of data compression. We compared hunting stereotypes in Norway rats towards agile and slow-moving prey. In the first case the stereotypes are much longer and they contain less key elements and more secondary and «noise» elements. This demonstrate the new method as relevant for the analysis of biological «texts», for searching regularities in stereotypic behaviour and for development of joint methods in ethology and psychology.

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