PSYCH 2TT3 Lecture Notes - Nikolaas Tinbergen, Beewolf, Red
12 Jun 2013
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Document Summary
Animal behaviour asks what, why, and how. Animal behaviour is also referred to as ethology. Scientists who study animal behaviour are called ehotlogists. A pioneer in the field of animal behaviour. He observed animals in their natural conditions, then manipulated, or varied the conditions to see how the animals responded. Observed how beewolfs find its nest among other beewolf nests. Beewolfs would circle its nest in an ever-widening circle before flying away to hunt this behaviour was an action pattern it was performed exactly the same way each time. After the beewolf flew off, tinbergen would move certain landmarks around the nests. When the beewolf returned, it was disoriented. Tinbergen had to describe and investigate what the organism was doing before attempting to explain why. = adaptive significance vs machinery (genetics, physiology, neurobiology, endocrinology) Proximate perspective: anything that triggers a change in behaviour. Ultimate perspective: more goal oriented approach, adaptive approach.
