This course will next be offered either in Spring 2011 and/or Spring 2012 but will probably be taught by Brian Moskalik. |
| | | | Instructions for acoustics or optimal foraging exercise. | Term Paper Due Dates (100 pts) | |
| DATE & CLASS NUMBER | TOPICS and ASSIGNMENT |
Jan. 20 (W)
Cl #1 | An Introduction to the Methodologies of the Sciences of Animal Behavior | Q&A on course structure (see course information sheet above).
Introduction. What is the study of animal behavior, what does it rest on, and why is it a valuable enterprise?
The history of the study of animal behavior, part 1: The methods and ideas of classical ethology. |
Jan. 22 (F)
Cl #2 | Classical ethology: its terminology, paradigm, and models of the generation of behavior. Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | |
Jan. 25 (M)
Cl #3
| Methods of ethology: observational techniques, behavioral catalogs: ethograms and kinematic diagrams, experiments. Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | |
Jan. 27 (W)
Cl #4 | Comparative psychology and behaviorism. Handouts, Assignments and Resources | It's been a while -- be sure to look over the reading assignment for class #1 as regards comparative psy.
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Jan. 29 (F)
Cl #5 | The Nature-Nurture Conflict and the History of Studies of Animal Behavior | The crises in classical ethology and comparative psychology.
Sociobiology and behavioral ecology. Handouts, Assignments and Resources | Also be sure that you have read Alcock Ch. 1 (previously assigned) | | | | Out of Class "Lab" | | |
Feb. 1 (M)
Cl #6 | Finish history. Brief discussion of infanticide (see above) Mechanisms Responsible for Behavior -- From Genes and the Environment to Structure to Behavior.
Part 1. Genes and behavior |
Begin genes and behavior -- how do we know that genotypic differences are linked to behavioral differences?
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | | |
Feb. 3 (W)
Cl #7 | Several examples of easily demonstrated linkages between genotype and behavior.
The heritability concept.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | Same as previous class | | | | |
Feb. 5 (F)
Cl #8 | Finish heritability. Mechanisms Responsible for Behavior -- From Genes and the Environment to Structure to Behavior.
Part 2. Development and Behavior | Gene-environment interaction: The development of behavior.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | | | |
Feb. 8 (M)
Cl #9 | Brief (5 - 10 mins) discussion about domesticity and selection (saved from Friday).
Development, continued. - Non-associative forms of learning.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | |
Feb. 10 (W)
Cl #10 | Classical, & operant learning.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | No new assignment | | |
Feb. 12 (F)
Cl #11 | Spatial learning. Imprinting.
Social learning and animal culture. Exam 1 material ends with the transmission of animal "cultures."
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | |
Feb. 15 (M)
Cl #12 | Finish social learning and animal culture. Exam 1 material ends with the transmission of animal "cultures" and the zebra finch paper. Alcock Ch. 4 is NOT on the exam -- readings for exam #1 are the handouts and Chs 1, 2 (in part) and 3. Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | |
Feb. 17 (W)
Cl #13 | EXAM #1 -- ALL MATERIAL THROUGH ANIMAL CULTURES (see note for Feb. 15) |
Feb. 19 (F)
Cl #14 | Mechanisms Responsible for Behavior -- From Genes and the Environment to Structure to Behavior.
Part 3. Neural and Endocrine Mechanisms | An exploration of how neural pathways are wired in the interplay of experience and genetic information.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | |
Feb. 22 (M)
Cl #15 | The Interactive theory of development -- LGN wiring example Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | |
Feb. 24 (W)
Cl #16 | Finish LGN example
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | |
Feb. 26 (F)
Cl #17 | Examples of integrated network function -- Bat avoidance by noctuid moths and crickets.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | |
Feb. 26 to March 7: Spring Break! |
Mar. 8 (M)
Cl #18 | The mechanisms that produce behavior, continued.
Finish avoidance behavior mechanism example.
Rhythms
The adaptive value of learning. |
Mar. 10 (W)
Cl #19 | Rhythms
The adaptive value of learning.
Go over any questions from Chapter 5 reading The New Science of Cognitive Ethology |
Start Cognitive ethology -- the "new old" frontier of animal behavior:
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | |
Mar. 12 (F)
Cl #20 | Can animals think? Are animals conscious? Are these worthwhile (scientific questions) or are there better questions to ask?
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | I urge you again to take a look at the cognitive ethology website linked in the previous class | | |
March 15 (M)
Cl #21 | The solvable problems approach.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | review the readings on elephants | | | |
March 17 (W)
Cl #22 | Expectancy violation as a method.
Hauser's and others notions of "Mental toolkits" -- navigation, tool-making and numbers.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | review readings on tool making and provisioning (above) -- we will discuss these. | | | | |
March 19 (F)
Cl #23 | Examples of lines of investigation: Foresight in animals?
Antecedents of human moral sense? (we will probably not get to this until Friday) Handouts, Assignments and Resources | SAME AS ABOVE
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March 22 (M)
Cl #24 | Begin Communication-- The importance of sender, receiver, and environment.
Characteristics of communication channels.
Information transfer defined by their cost and benefits to senders and receivers.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | Article about evolution as tinkering vs. engineering Please note that this classic article should, along with the text, give you excellent insight into the process of evolution by natural selection. There is an extensive set of questions provided with the article but they are largely included to guide your reading -- do not study them explicitly for the next exam (but be sure you understand the author's main points!). | Continue to read Alcock Chapter 9 | Notes on evolution and pop. genetics
and
Notes on kin selection Note: both of these note sets are useful general references for much of the rest of the course. You will not be tested explicitly on them but you should be familiar with the concepts and calculations found in them. The kin selection notes in particular will be considered in much more detail later (after exam 2 -- they are simply a general resource for the moment). | | |
March 24 (W)
Cl #25 | TITLE AND LITERATURE LIST DUE FOR TERM PAPER (ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION ONLY
Title will be OKd by Monday March 29. Cooperative signaling -- conditions favoring the evolution of cooperative signals in related and unrelated individuals.
Effects of channel on signal evolution. -- END OF MATERIAL FOR EXAM #2
Effects imposed by the receiver on the evolution of signals.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | same as previous class | | |
March 26 (F)
Cl #26 | EXAM #2 |
March 29 (M)
Cl #27
| Cooperative signaling and sexual selection.
Fisherian signals.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | same as previous class | | |
March 31 (W)
Cl #28 | Zahavian Mullerian mimics.
Non-cooperative communication Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | |
April 1 (Thurs) thru 5 (Mon): Easter Break |
April 7 (W)
Cl #29 | Non-cooperative communication, continued.
The evolution of language. What is it and do animals have it. Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | |
April 9 (F)
Cl #30 | Conflict, Aggression and Fighting | Overview of aggression and proximate and ultimate theories relating to same.
Contests and alternative strategies.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | Class game theory website | | Resources | Hardy-Weinberg review -- see notes on evolution and pop genetics (given on 3-14, Cl #22) | | Population genetics problems solutions | |
April 12 (M)
Cl #31 | An introduction to game theory and the evolutionarily stable strategy concept.
A heuristically useful game: Hawks and Doves.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | same readings as previous class | | |
April 14 (W)
Cl #32 | Obtaining Resources (and avoiding becoming one): Foraging, Anti-Predation Behavior, and Habitat Selection | DRAFT of TERM PAPER DUE AT START OF CLASS (paper and electronic)
The logic of display.
Territory and ownership. Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | Same as previous class | | |
April 16 (F)
Cl #33
| Foraging behavior and how it is studied.
B-C maximization -- several examples Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | |
April 19 (M)
Cl #34 | Rate maximization models of foraging.
Optimal diet and constraint models.
Various critiques of optimality models.
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April 21 (W)
Cl #35
| Resource allocation between individuals.
Scramble competition and Ideal free distributions.
Resource defense models
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | same assignment as above | | |
April 23 (F)
Cl #36
| Finish sunbird example.
Reproductive strategies -- a general overview. COMMENTED DRAFT TERM PAPERS RETURNED Handouts, Assignments and Resources | same assignment as above | | |
April 26 (M)
Cl #37 | Reproduction, Sexual Selection and Mating Systems | Optimality and life histories -- how to partition reproduction.
Why does sex persist and what are the differences between the sexes, evolutionarily speaking? END OF EXAM MATERIAL
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | |
April 28 (W)
Cl #38 | EXAM #3 -- EFFECTS OF RECEIVERS ON SIGNALS THROUGH CLASS ON MONDAY 26 APRIL |
April 30 (F)
Cl #39 | Fisher's rule for allocation of offspring sexes.
Mating systems.
Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | |
May 3 (M)
Cl #40 | FINAL DRAFT OF TERM PAPER DUE AT START OF CLASS (electronic and paper) Polyandry and polygyny.
Polygyny threshold model.
Finish mating systems. Handouts, Assignments and Resources | | | | | |
| overflow | Parental behavior, kinship & social behavior |
Patterns of parental care.Mate desertion
Parent/offspring conflict
Sibling interactions. The cold calculations of being an older sib.
Introduction -- What is social behavior?
A survey of social behavior in animals and the social - solitary continuum
Social behavior in animals that the selective pressures invoked to explain it |
| May 5 (W) | STUDY PERIOD BEGINS |
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May 10 (MONDAY) | COMPREHENSIVE Final Exam 8:30 AM (175 PTS) |
