Determinants of animal behaviour / Jo-Anne Cartwright.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cartwright, Jo-Anne, 1955-

Series:

Routledge modular psychology

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Psychology, Comparative.

Physical Description:

xv, 152 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm.

Place of Publication:

Hove [England] ; New York : Routledge, 2002.

Summary:

Are animals intelligent? How do they learn to solve everyday survival problems? Can they be intentionally deceptive? The investigation of animal behavior is an important and fascinating aspect of comparative psychology. Firstly the evolutionary explanations of animal behavior are discussed, including the biological explanations of apparent altruism. Secondly the nature of classical and operant conditioning in animal behavior is considered and finally the role of social learning in animals is investigated. Real-life examples are used throughout the book to illustrate the arguments presented. "Determinants of Animal Behaviour" is an ideal introductory text to the subject, full of real-life examples and both traditional and cutting-edge research. It will be of interest to all students new to comparative psychology and highly accessible to anyone wishing to know more about the diversity and ingenuity of animal behavior.

Contents:

What is non-human animal behaviour? 1

Why study animal behaviour? 2

The role of evolution in animal behaviour 2

Benefits gained from studying animal behaviour 3

How do we study animal behaviour? 4

The ethological method of studying animal behaviour 5

The laboratory experimental method of studying animal behaviour 5

Points to note when studying animal behaviour 6

2 Evolutionary explanations of animal behaviour 11

An introduction to evolutionary theory 11

A basic introduction to evolutionary theory 12

Genetic and environmental determinants of behaviour 14

Applying the theory of evolution 14

Introduction to altruism 15

Does altruism exist in the animal kingdom? 16

Evolutionary explanations of apparent altruism 17

Group selection theory 17

An evaluation of group selection theory 18

Kin selection theory 18

Evidence for kin selection theory 19

An evaluation of kin selection theory 21

Explanations of kin recognition 22

Conclusion on kin selection theory 24

Reciprocal altruism theory 24

Manipulated altruism (or social parasitism) 27

Conclusion on evolutionary explanations of altruism 29

Evolutionary explanations of territoriality 31

An introduction to territorial behaviour 31

Explanation of territorial behaviour as a means of gaining an adequate food source 32

Explanation of territorial behaviour as a means of gaining an adequate mate 32

Game theory as an evolutionary explanation for territorial behaviour 33

Evaluation of game theory 40

Conclusion on evolutionary explanations of territorial behaviour 41

Conclusion on evolutionary explanations of animal behaviour 42

The theory of co-evolution 43

Learning theory 43

3 Classical and operant conditioning 45

Introduction to conditioning theory 45

The nature of classical conditioning and its role in the behaviour of animals 46

An example of how classical conditioning can occur 47

The historical framework of classical conditioning 48

The basic principles of classical conditioning 50

Evaluation of classical conditioning 57

The historical framework of operant conditioning 58

Thorndike's theory of instrumental conditioning 59

Skinner's modification of Thorndike's theory of instrumental conditioning 62

The nature of operant conditioning and its role in the behaviour of animals 66

The procedures involved in operant conditioning research 66

An evaluation of operant conditioning 71

An evaluation of classical and operant conditioning 74

The biological importance of classical and operant conditioning 79

Similarities and differences in classical and operant conditioning 80

4 Social learning in animals 83

An introduction to social learning in animals 83

What is social learning? 83

Explanations relating to the role of social learning in animals 85

What role does social learning play in determining animal behaviour? 86

Research studies on social learning in animals 87

Naturalistic observational research as evidence for social learning in animals 88

Experimental research as evidence for social learning in animals 90

Evaluation of social learning in animals 92

Conclusion on social learning in animals 92

Intelligence in animals 93

What is intelligence? 93

Evidence for intelligent behaviour in animals 95

Tool fabrication and use in captive animals as evidence for intelligence 96

Evaluation of tool fabrication in captive animals as evidence for intelligence 98

Theory of mind as evidence for intelligence in animals 99

Overall conclusion on evidence for theory of mind in animals 115

Article 1 Rescorla (1966) Predictability and number of pairings in Pavlovian fear conditioning 127

Article 2 Tinbergen and Kruyt (1929) Study of the use of landmarks in homing behaviour in bee-killing digger wasps (Pilianthus triangulum) 129

Article 3 Fiorito and Scotto (1992) Observational learning in Octopus vulgaris 132.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 141-146) and index.

ISBN:

0415238404

0415238412

OCLC:

47973355