Final answer:
Inter-observer variability is the differences in observations made by different people, while intra-observer variability is the differences in observations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Inter-observer variability refers to the differences in observations made by different people or observers when assessing the same phenomenon. This variability can occur due to differences in the interpretations, biases, or subjective judgments of the observers.
For example, in a research study, different observers might have different opinions about the behavior of animals or the presence of certain characteristics in a sample. Intra-observer variability refers to the differences in observations made by the same person or observer on multiple occasions when assessing the same phenomenon.
This variability can occur due to inherent inconsistencies or biases in the observer's judgments or due to changes in the observer's perception over time. For example, if a researcher is measuring the length of a plant stem multiple times, they might have slight variations in their measurements due to changes in posture.