ANY-maze help and support centre > The ANY-maze reference > The principal pages of ANY-maze > The Protocol page > The elements of a protocol > Keys > Key measures

Key measures

ANY-maze has been designed to be extended and we'll be delighted to add any new measures you might find useful, for free! - just contact ANY-maze technical support.

ANY-maze will score the following measures for a key:

  
 Number of presses 
 Time pressed 
 Latency to first press 
 Latency to first release 
 Longest press 
 Shortest press 
 Average press duration 
 Press frequency  

  

Each measure is available for the apparatus as whole (i.e. irrespective of where the behaviour occurred) and also for each defined zone. For example, if a protocol includes two zones called "Left" and "Right" and two keys have been defined, one for "Grooming" and one for "Rearing" then the following sets of measures will be available:

 All the measures listed above for grooming anywhere in the apparatus 
 All the measures listed above for rearing anywhere in the apparatus 
 All the measures listed above for grooming in the left zone 
 All the measures listed above for rearing in the left zone 
 All the measures listed above for grooming in the right zone 
 All the measures listed above for rearing in the right zone  

  

  

Number of presses

DescriptionReports the number of times the key was pressed down, i.e. the number of times the animal started to exhibit the key's behaviour.
Calculation methodCounts the number of key presses.
Analysis in zonesCounts the number of times the key was pressed when the animal was in the zone.
Analysis across timeThis measure can be analysed across time. For any time period the result is the number of times the key was pressed down during the time period.
UnitsNone
NotesNone

  

  

Time pressed

DescriptionReports the total amount of time the key was pressed down, i.e. the total amount of time that the animal was exhibiting the key's behaviour.
Calculation methodSums the amount of time for which the key was pressed.
Analysis in zonesSums the amount of time for which the key was pressed in the zone.

For a particular zone it's possible for the Time pressed to be non-zero while the Number of presses is zero. This can occur if the animal enters the zone when the key is pressed. In this case the time the key is pressed will be registered but the key press itself won't be.

Analysis across timeThis measure can be analysed across time. For any time period the result is the amount of time that the key was pressed during the period.

For a particular time period it's possible for the Time pressed during the period to be non-zero while the Number of presses for the period is zero. This can occur if the key is already pressed at the start of the period. In this case the time the key is pressed will be registered but the key press itself won't be.

UnitsSeconds
NotesNone

  

  

Latency to first press

DescriptionReports the amount of time that elapsed in the test before the key was pressed for the first time. i.e. The amount of time that elapsed before the key's behaviour started for the first time.
Calculation methodThe value of the test clock at the first key press.
Analysis in zonesThe value of the test clock at the first key press that occurred within the zone.
Analysis across timeThis measure cannot be analysed across time.
UnitsSeconds
NotesNone

  

  

Latency to first release

DescriptionReports the amount of time that elapsed in the test before the key was released for the first time. i.e. The amount of time that elapsed before the key's behaviour ended for the first time.
Calculation methodThe value of the test clock at the first key release.
Analysis in zonesThe value of the test clock at the first key release that occurred within the zone.
Analysis across timeThis measure cannot be analysed across time.
UnitsSeconds
NotesNone

  

  

Longest press

DescriptionReports the duration of the longest period for which the key was continuously pressed down, i.e. the longest period for which the animal continuously exhibited the key's behaviour.
Calculation methodThe duration of each key press is calculated and the largest value is found.
Analysis in zonesThe longest period for which the key was continuously pressed in the zone.
Analysis across timeThis measure can be analysed across time. For any time period the result is the longest period for which the key was continuously pressed during the period.
UnitsSeconds
NotesNone

  

  

Shortest press

DescriptionReports the duration of the shortest period for which the key was continuously pressed down, i.e. the shortest period for which the animal continuously exhibited the key's behaviour.
Calculation methodThe duration of each key press is calculated and the smallest value is found.
Analysis in zonesThe shortest period for which the key was continuously pressed in the zone.
Analysis across timeThis measure can be analysed across time. For any time period the result is the shortest period for which the key was continuously pressed during the period.
UnitsSeconds
NotesNone

  

  

Average press duration

DescriptionReports the average duration for which the key was held down, i.e. the average duration of the episodes of the key's behaviour.
Calculation methodCalculated by dividing the Time pressed by the Number of presses.
Analysis in zonesThis measure cannot be analysed in zones.
Analysis across timeThis measure cannot be analysed across time.
UnitsSeconds
NotesNone

  

  

Press frequency

DescriptionReports the frequency with which the key was pressed, i.e. the frequency with which the animal exhibited the key's behaviour.
Calculation methodCalculated by dividing the Number of presses by the Test duration.
Analysis in zonesCalculated by dividing the Number of presses in the zone by the Total time in the zone.
Analysis across timeThis measure can be analysed across time. For any time period the result is the Number of presses which occurred during the period divided by the period's duration.
UnitsHertz
NotesNone

© Copyright 2003-2004 ANY-maze. All rights reserved

ANY-maze help topic H0156