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Originally Posted by Chris Noble  My point is very simple. The periods where there was some randomisation were not very large. Only one was 90 minutes the rest were closer to 45 minutes. |
You're forgetting that the beep periods commenced at some point during a time frame of 80 to 170 minutes after the start of the trial.
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Originally Posted by Chris Noble The majority occurred in a small time period which coincided with a peak in the normal routine homecomings as seen from the preliminary investigations. |
"Three of the 12 experiments were carried out in the afternoon, with beeps at 2:22, 3:04 and 3:36 PM; the remaining experiments were carried out in the evening with beeps at a range of times between 8:09 and 9:39 PM."
Is one hour and a half a "small time period", when the homecomings didn't last more than about 15 to 20 minutes? How does the dog pick out the right time to sit by the window?
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Originally Posted by Chris Noble The owner knew when the start of the beep period was going to occur. It is possible that this expectation was unconciously communicated to the dog. |
I'm open to the possibility, but how do you communicate unconsciously to a dog that tonight, you're going to start going home sometime during a time frame between 45 to 90 minutes commencing at so-and-so many minutes from when you're leaving?
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Originally Posted by Chris Noble The only effect of the randomistaion was a standard deviation of about 11 minutes in the distribution of return times from the start of the beep period. |
Once again, you're forgetting that the beep periods commenced at some point during a time frame of 80 to 170 minutes after the start of the trial.