Download Chapter 1 - The Science of Animal Behavior

Featured Research
The observational method and
reproductive energetics of chimpanzees
• Research question: Do pregnant
and lactating chimpanzees alter
their feeding behavior to
compensate for the increased
energy demands of reproduction?
(Murray et al. 2009)
• Hypothesis: Pregnant and lactating
females will consume a diet that
provides higher caloric intake than
will nonpregnant, nonlactating
females
From Nordell and Valone, Animal Behavior: Concepts, Methods, and Applications, © 2014 by Oxford University Press
Featured Research
The observational method and
reproductive energetics of chimpanzees
• Methods:
– Chimpanzees (Pan trogolodytes)
– Classified adult females into three categories: pregnant
(back-calculated from birth dates of offspring),
lactating, or nonpregnant and nonlactating
– Recorded the feeding behavior (types of foods eaten)
of these females
From Nordell and Valone, Animal Behavior: Concepts, Methods, and Applications, © 2014 by Oxford University Press
Featured Research
The observational method and
reproductive energetics of chimpanzees
• Results:
– Females differ in the
amount of fruit in their
diet
• Conclusion:
– Female chimpanzees
appear to alter their diet
to include more highcalorie fruit when
pregnant and lactating to
increase their caloric
intake
From Nordell and Valone, Animal Behavior: Concepts, Methods, and Applications, © 2014 by Oxford University Press
From Nordell and Valone, Animal Behavior: Concepts, Methods, and Applications, © 2014 by Oxford University Press
From Nordell and Valone, Animal Behavior: Concepts, Methods, and Applications, © 2014 by Oxford University Press
Featured Research
From Nordell and Valone, Animal Behavior: Concepts, Methods, and Applications, © 2014 by Oxford University Press
Tinbergen’s four questions:
• Proximate questions about behavior
– What mechanism caused the behavior?
– How does the behavior develop?
• Ultimate questions about behavior
– What is the function of the behavior?
– How did the behavior evolve?
From Nordell and Valone, Animal Behavior: Concepts, Methods, and Applications, © 2014 by Oxford University Press
Interdisciplinary approaches
• Evolutionary psychology
– Seeks to understand human thinking and behavior and
assumes that natural selection has shaped brain
architecture and thought processes in an adaptive
manner
• Cognitive ethology
– Seeks to understand how natural selection acts on
mental processes and cognition
• Behavioral ecology
– Focuses on the ecology and evolution of behavior and
its fitness consequences
From Nordell and Valone, Animal Behavior: Concepts, Methods, and Applications, © 2014 by Oxford University Press
The three Rs
• Replacement
– Encourages use of computer modeling, videotapes, or
other approaches in place of actual research on
animals in the laboratory
• Reduction
– Promotes limiting the number of animals subject to
disturbance in research or teaching
• Refinement
– Involves improving procedures and techniques to
minimize pain and stress for animals
From Nordell and Valone, Animal Behavior: Concepts, Methods, and Applications, © 2014 by Oxford University Press