An introduction to animal behaviour

Aims

This course aims to:  

• introduce you to the multi-disciplinary study of animal behaviour  
   
• guide you in framing appropriate scientific questions about animal behaviour 
   
• help you to design and analyse studies of animal behaviour 
   
• enhance your essay writing and literature review skills  

Content  

Welcome to the exciting field of animal behaviour! This course will introduce you to the broad and multidisciplinary nature of the study of behaviour.  

You will first learn about the history of the study of behaviour, and differences in emphases between the fields of psychology and ethology (with particular reference to the learning process). Later, we will take an integrated approach to studying behaviour by using a framework of proximate (developmental and mechanistic) and ultimate (functional and phylogenetic) explanations. Fundamental processes influencing animal behaviour will be considered, including the relative contributions of evolutionary processes, genetics, the nervous system, learning, and the environment.  

You will learn how to frame questions and hypotheses in the scientific investigation of behaviour and will use basic techniques for describing and recording behavioural observations. You will discover potential applications of behavioural studies and enhance your understanding of sound experimental design. Such skills will be useful in a wide range of scientific and animal management careers.  

Presentation of the course

The course will primarily be taught via a range of exciting lectures, with regular pauses for questions, quizzes and discussions. Most lectures have some form of additional interactive element: these will include visits from special non-human guests, scientific games, 3D videos, experiments and demonstrations. The course will also include a field observation of animal behaviour on a local fen (0.5km away).  

Course sessions 

1. A history of behavioural research
   Historical and philosophical background to the field. Comparison of ethology, psychology and behavioural ecology. 
    
2. Asking questions about animal behaviour
   How to ask questions about animal behaviour: Tinbergen’s “4 why's”; Ultimate vs proximate explanations of behaviour.  
    
3. Methods used to study behaviour 1
   Measuring behaviour in the laboratory and field. Constructing ethograms. 
    
4. Methods used to study behaviour 2
   Avoiding sample and measurement bias. Using statistics. Visit to a local fen. (0.5km away) 
    
5. Ultimate explanations of behaviour
   The influence of natural selection on behaviour. Adaptiveness, optimality and evolutionarily stable strategies. 
    
6. Physiological explanations of behaviour
   Overview of the nervous system. Reflexes and more complex behaviours. The role of hormones. 
    
7. Genetic + environmental effects on behaviour 
   The nature vs nurture debate. Instincts and imprinting. The heritability of behaviour.
    
8. The role of learning in behaviour 
   Sensitisation, habituation and associative learning. Higher forms of learning and memory. 
    
9. Comparative studies of animal cognition 
   Definitions of "intelligence". Pitfalls of studying animal cognition. 
    
10.  Applied uses of behavioural studies + course recap 
    Management of wild and captive animals. Application of studies to scientific research and companion animals. 

Learning outcomes 

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.  

The learning outcomes for this course are to: 

• discuss the multidisciplinary and philosophical origins of, and the importance of applying scientific methodology in the study of pure and applied animal behaviour  
   
•  develop proximate and ultimate hypotheses for the behaviour of animals   
   
•  present evidence for the effects of genetic and environmental factors on behaviour  
   
•  demonstrate knowledge of the body processes underpinning behaviour   

Required reading 

There is no required reading for this course

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.