Applied ethology
Anthropomorphism
-ascribing uniquely human characteristics or qualities to non-human objects such as other animals or inanimate objects -not short-cut to explaining animal's behaviour -demonstrates lack of objectivity
Stimulus threshold
-behaviour differences b/w domestic and wild animals can typically be attributed to modified stimulus thresholds -result is some behaviour patterns become more common and others rare under domestication
Consumer demand theory
-can apply economic theory and work out demand curves to note relative importance of performing particular behaviour
Tinbergen's 4 whys of ethology
-causation -ontogeny -phylogeny -function
Behavioral needs
-concept that animals have motivations for behaviour beyond what is necessary for bodily survival -eg calf suckling -difficult to predict where these needs will arise
Domestication
-condition wherein breeding, care and feeding of animals are more or less controlled by humans -evolutionary phenomenon involving changes in gene pool
Behaviour
-critical component animal health -can indicate underlying physical health problem -can indicate underlying physiological health problem -important cause of death for many animals
behavioural characteristics of sickness
-dec food and water consumption, activity, exploration, social behaviour, grooming -inc slow-wave sleep, thermoregulation and nociception
Punishment
-dec likelihood behavioural response will be performed again -(+)ve punishment is stimulus added to scenario -(-)ve punishment is stimulus removed from scenario
Ontogeny
-development -question about proximate mechanisms -to do with behavioural development -how does behaviour change w/ age of animal?
Feral animals
-domesticated animals that have gone wild again (mustangs, pigeons) -can be a big problem
Konrad Lorenz
-early ethologist -Austrian who worked in Germany -emphasized importance of observation of animals under natural conditions -described 'imprinting'
Karl von Frisch
-early ethologist -Austrian who worked in Germany -studied fish and honeybees looking at colour vision and communication system ('waggle dance')
Nikolaas Tinbergen
-early ethologist -Dutchmen who worked in England -naturalist who read the signs left by animals
Phylogeny
-evolution -question about ultimate mechanisms -how does behaviour compare w/ similar behaviour of related species
Natural selection
-force that keeps causation and function closely linked in wild species
Traits favoring domestication
-gregarious, social species -polygamous mating, lack of bonded mating & sexual dimorphism -food preferences not in direct competition with humans -strong mother-young bonds -precocial young
Elastic demand
-if price is high, animal will not pay -need to perform behaviour is flexible inelastic-animal will continue behaviour even when price is high
Artificial selection
-in domesticated species -can lead to wide separation of causation and function
differential reproduction
-inherited characteristic can influence reproductive success (fitness)
Causation
-mechanisms -what causes behaviour to be shown? -what are stimuli that are responsible for eliciting behaviour -eg environmental, molecular, physiological etc
Variation
-members of species differ in characteristic of interest (eg behaviour trait)
Heredity
-parents pass on distinctive characteristics to offspring, so it is a genetically linked trait
Tame animals
-reduced fear of humans, through habituation or hand-rearing (exotic circus animals, some zoo animals)
Applied ethology
-study of animal behaviour in natural environment -if domesticated, natural environment is in captivity -not synonymous with (or always about) animal welfare
Obstruction tests
-tests strength of animal preference -increases 'price' animal must pay to obtain preferred item -need to titrate against another motivation
classical conditioning
-type of associative learning -animals learn association b/w 2 stimuli -eg Pavlov's dog
Operant conditioning
-type of associative learning sometimes called instrumental learning -animals learns an association b/w behaviour and response outcome -animal learns that its behaviour is impt for outcome
Reinforcement
-type of learning -inc likelihood that behaviour response will be performed again -positive reinforcement is when stimulus added -negative reinforcement is when stimulus removed -both inc likelihood of reoccurence
Preference tests
-used to decipher animal motivations -animal chooses b/w 2 or more options
Motivation
-used to describe internal processes that arouse and direct behaviour -hypothetical variable b/c cannot be observed directly -produced by interaction of internal and external factors
In order to draw inferences from preference research
1) ensure experiments adequately reflect animal's preference 2) establish how much animal prefers chosen option or is motivated to perform certain behaviour 3) check whether choices fall outside animals' capacities
Applications of applied ethology
1) improving animal production 2) resolving behaviour problems 3) assessing well-being of animals
Wild animals
animals living in natural environment; sometimes used by humans (falconry, elephants)
Function
-adaptation -why does behaviour exist? -how does behaviour impact animals chances for survival and reproduction -historically main interest of ethology
