Biology 441: Animal Behavior

1. Biology 441: Animal Behavior • Introductions • Notecards • Course Mechanics • Syllabus; expectations • Content: What is Ethology?

2. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Semantics • Ethology vs. Animal Behavior vs. Behavioral Ecology

3. Introduction to Animal Behavior • What is Ethology? • Ethos = habit

4. Introduction to Animal Behavior • What is Ethology? • Def. The biological study of animal behavior

5. Introduction to Animal Behavior • What is Ethology? • Def. The biological study of animal behavior • Better def. The study of animal behavior using the scientific method

6. Introduction to Animal Behavior • What is animal behavior?

7. Introduction to Animal Behavior • What is animal behavior? • All observable or otherwise measurable muscular or secretory responses (or lack thereof) in response to changes in an animals internal or external environment

8. Introduction to Animal Behavior • What is animal behavior? • All observable or otherwise measurable muscular or secretory responses (or lack thereof) in response to changes in an animals internal or external environment • AKA WHAT ANIMALS DO

9. Introduction to Animal Behavior • What is animal behavior? • A more poetic answer: “The study of behavior encompasses all of the movements and sensations by which animals and men mediate their relationship with their external environments -- physical, biotic and social. No scientific field is more complex, and none is more central to human problems and aspirations.” [Alexander 1975:77]

10. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Why study behavior?

11. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Why study behavior? • Animals = good models for understanding ourselves • Behavior, neurobiology • Animal conservation, endangered species • Practical: farm animals, pest species control, disease prevention, pets • Management of animals in captivity • Curiosity!

12. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Are we all amateur behaviorists?

27. Introduction to Animal Behavior Quote from pet counselor in Ohio: “It’s wonderful — anyone can be a behaviorist — no degree or formal training is necessary. I just do it.”

28. Introduction to Animal Behavior • The problem with amateur behaviorists… • Perceptual bias • Anthropomorphism

29. Bias & Behavior • Humans often see what we expect to see

30. Why do we make this mistake? • Our minds contain a model of the universe. Our experience (e.g., vision) is allowed to update it, but only in certain ways. • We can’t avoid it — we are born with a model already in place!

31. Bias & Behavior • Humans often see what we expect to see • Aristotle and teeth • See pattern where no pattern exists • Human anthropomorphize • Ascribe human characteristics to things not human • Attribute conscious thought to animals too quickly e.g. Wilhelm Von-Osten and “Clever Hans”

32. Introduction to Animal Behavior • What makes a professional behaviorist? • Proper use of the scientific method

33. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Scientific Method (review) • 1.

34. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Scientific Method (review) • 1. Observations • 2.

35. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Scientific Method (review) • 1. Observations • 2. Questions

36. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Scientific Method (review) • 1. Observations • 2. Questions • 3. Hypotheses • 4.

37. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Scientific Method (review) • 1. Observations • 2. Questions • 3. Hypotheses • 4. Tests (experiments) • 5.

38. Introduction to Animal Behavior • Scientific Method (review) • 1. Observations • 2. Questions • 3. Hypotheses • 4. Tests (experiments) • 5. Interpretation • Hypothesis supported or refuted? • Alternative hypotheses?

39. Introduction to Animal Behavior • The problem with professional behaviorists… • Perceptual bias still possible • The Mask of Theory and the Face of Nature • “Rarely does it become possible for the scientist to step back, examine the social preconditions that have led to the construction of the mask of theory, and ask: Why have I interpreted the natural world the way I have? What elements of my culture made one interpretation obvious and believable, but not another?”

40. Amateur Video • “Battle at Kruger” • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM