Elements of Ethology


Book Description

The object of this book is to introduce ethology to agricultural and veterinary students. Today ethology covers many approaches to the study of animal behaviour which are connected by one unifying concept: all behaviour must be considered in relation to the ecology and evolutionary history of the species under investigation. This may seem to some to put domesticated animals beyond the scope of classical ethology but, while domestication has involved some behavioural changes, we shall see that much of the behaviour of our species of farm livestock differs little from that of their putative ancestors. It is assumed that students using this book will already have studied some physiology. It is also assumed that they are, essentially, practically minded and with this factor in mind I have discussed behaviour in terms of its function, introducing the principles of ethology within functional categories of behaviour. In order to best illustrate these principles I have taken examples from a variety of species and not confmed myself to farm livestock and domestic animals, for fundamental ethological research with these species has been patchy. However at the end of each chapter I have given a list of papers pertaining to farm livestock so that the principles of ethology can be seen in a more practical context and to develop this approach further I have also added some practical problems for discussion at the end of each chapter.







Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior


Book Description

Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, Second Edition, Four Volume Set the latest update since the 2010 release, builds upon the solid foundation established in the first edition. Updated sections include Host-parasite interactions, Vertebrate social behavior, and the introduction of ‘overview essays’ that boost the book's comprehensive detail. The structure for the work is modified to accommodate a better grouping of subjects. Some chapters have been reshuffled, with section headings combined or modified. Represents a one-stop resource for scientifically reliable information on animal behavior Provides comparative approaches, including the perspective of evolutionary biologists, physiologists, endocrinologists, neuroscientists and psychologists Includes multimedia features in the online version that offer accessible tools to readers looking to deepen their understanding




Reproduction


Book Description




Livestock Behaviour


Book Description

The book aims to bring together the essential information on animal behaviour for those concerned with the husbandry, management and welfare of farm animals. It provides information to make fuller use of labour, reduce accidents, and increase the wellbeing and productivity of farm livestock.




Born Knowing


Book Description

An expert on the brain argues that the mind is not a blank slate and that much early behavior is biologically predisposed rather than learned. Why do newborns show a preference for a face (or something that resembles a face) over a nonface-like object? Why do baby chicks prefer a moving object to an inanimate one? Neither baby human nor baby chick has had time to learn to like faces or movement. In Born Knowing, neuroscientist Giorgio Vallortigara argues that the mind is not a blank slate. Early behavior is biologically predisposed rather than learned, and this instinctive or innate behavior, Vallortigara says, is key to understanding the origins of knowledge. Drawing on research carried out in his own laboratory over several decades, Vallortigara explores what the imprinting process in young chicks, paralleled by the cognitive feats of human newborns, reveals about minds at the onset of life. He explains that a preference for faces or representations of something face-like and animate objects--predispositions he calls "life detectors"--streamlines learning, allowing minds to avoid a confusing multiplicity of objects in the environment, and he considers the possibility that autism spectrum disorders might be linked to a deficit in the preference for the animate. He also demonstrates that animals do not need language to think, and that addition and subtraction can be performed without numbers. The origin of knowledge, Vallortigara argues, is the wisdom that humans and animals possess as basic brain equipment, the product of natural history rather than individual development.




Food Animal Husbandry and the New Millennium


Book Description

First published in 2001. This highly readable and comprehensive overview of psychophysiology provides information regarding the anatomy and physiology of various body systems, methods of recording their activity, and ways in which these measures relate to human behavior. Biofeedback applications are contained in a separate chapter, and discussions of stress management, job strain, and personality factors that affect cardiovascular reactivity are presented. There is much of interest here to the student, researcher, and clinician in behavioral medicine, ergonomics, emotion, cognitive neuroscience, neuropsychology, and health psychology. Now in its fourth edition, Andreassi's Psychophysiology explores some of the newer areas of importance and updates findings in traditional topics of interest. Significant changes to this edition include: updated information on brain activity in memory, perception, and inteligence; new information on brain imaging and behavior; separate chapters on pupillography and eye movements; new information on the startle pattern and eyeblink; separate chapters on clinical and non-clinical applications; updated information on cardiovascular reactivity and personality; the la test biofeedback and ergonomics applications; novel findings in environmental psychophysiology; brief summaries at the end of each section; and an appendix on laboratory safety. Each chapter is a self-contained unit allowing instructors to customize the presentation of the material. With over 1,700 citations, Andreassi's Psychophysiology is the definitive text in the field. An instructor 's manual is now available. Based on the book, the manual is primarily a test bank to be used in giving examinations to students during the teaching of a course. Both multiple-choice and essay questions have been provided, lists of key terms and ideas, sample syllabi, and laboratory exercises are also provided.