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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > Animal behaviour
How is information represented in the nervous system? How is that information manipulated and processed? These are some of the more important and challenging questions for neuroscientists and psychologists today. Understanding brain functions, especially the neural mechanisms of higher cognitive processes such as thinking, reasoning, judging, and decision making, are the subjects covered by the research in the chapters of this book. They describe recent progress in four major research areas: visual functions, motor functions, memory functions, and prefrontal functions. Readers will obtain an excellent idea of how the nervous system internally represents the outer world, how the nervous system constructs images or schemas to perceive the outer world or react to the environment, and how the nervous system processes information using internal representations - topics that are at the forefront of brain science today.
______________ 'A very appealing, beyond-the-basic reference.'- Booklist 'Cute illustrations and fascinating facts' - Guardian 'A perfect gift for any cat lover' Reader Review | 5 STARS ______________ Cats are so mysterious. What makes them climb into tiny spaces? Why do they sleep that much? And, most of all, how can we give them a good life? Dr. Yuki Hattori is Japan's leading cat doctor, and to him cats are the most beautiful animals in the world. His advice comes with little illustrations showing exactly what to look for as a cat owner - including charts showing how to interpret their different meows, the direction of their whiskers and the way their tail is pointing! Cats may seem low-maintenance but thoughtfulness about where you put their water, how warm or cool they like to be, what name to choose and how to groom them properly will make a life-changing difference. With understanding, affection and respect, your cat will be more healthy and contented - and you'll feel happier too. 'I bought this book for a friend, but after seeing it I might just buy a stack more' Reader Review | 5 STARS 'Even my dog enjoyed looking at it' Reader Review | 5 STARS
This book reviews all major models and hypotheses concerning the mechanisms supposed to underlie the process of navigation in vertebrates. It covers data on all major model groups of vertebrates studied in the context of animal navigation, such as migratory birds, homing pigeons, sea turtles, subterranean mammals and some migratory fish species. Some other - less studied - groups, e.g., whales, have also been touched. The first part of the book describes different sources of navigational information, with their specific navigational mechanisms known or supposed to be employed by animals for navigational goals. The second part discusses possible functions of these mechanisms in different vertebrates and in the context of different navigational tasks, ranging from short-range navigation, often performed by animals within as small an area as several square meters, to long-distance global-scale migrations performed by many birds and some sea turtles during their lifespan.
Every coordination within or between animals depends on communication processes. Although the signaling molecules, vocal and tactile signs, gestures and its combinations differ throughout all species according their evolutionary origins and variety of adaptation processes, certain levels of biocommunication can be found in all animal species: (a) Abiotic environmental indices such as temperature, light, water, etc. that affect the local ecosphere of an organism and are sensed, interpreted. (b) Trans-specific communication with non-related organisms. (c) Species-specific communication between same or related species. (d) Intraorganismic communication, i.e., sign-mediated coordination within the body of the organism. This book gives an overview of the manifold levels of animal communication exemplified by a variety of species and thereby broadens the understanding of these organisms. "
This textbook covers aspects of animal behaviour featured in both A-Level Psychology and Social Biology courses. It includes accounts and discussions of imprinting, maternal behaviour, courtship and territoriality, social organization, and animal communication. Throughout the book the principle of behavioural diversity is built upon to show the complexities of animal behaviour and its relationship with the social and physical environment. The issues and perspectives arising from evolutionary theory are explored, and the need to utilize multiple levels of analysis in the understanding of animal (and human) behaviour is emphasized.
Recent ideas and experimental studies suggest that the relationship between parasitism and host behaviour has been a powerful shaping force in the evolution not only of behaviour patterns themselves but, through them, of morphology and population and community dynamics. This book brings together recent work across the disciplines of parasitology and animal behaviour which is revealing the fundamental role of parasitism in the evolution of behaviour. The aim is to look broadly at the relationship between parasitism and behaviour from pathology and epidemiology to strategies of exploitation and counter exploitation. In doing so the book will traverse the phylogenetic scale from enteric protozoa and nematodes to colouration and courtship of birds and human cultural traditions.
This book represents a unique and elaborate exposition of the
neural organization of language, memory, and spatial perception in
a wide variety of species including humans, bees, fish, rodents,
and monkeys. The editors have united the comparative approach with
its emphasis on evolutionary determinants of behavior, the
neurobiological approach with its emphasis on the neural
determinants of behavior, and the cognitive approach with its
emphasis on understanding higher-order mental functions. The
combination of these three approaches provides an unusual look at
the neurobiology of comparative cognition, and should stimulate
increased investigations in this field and related
disciplines.
This book represents a unique and elaborate exposition of the neural organization of language, memory, and spatial perception in a wide variety of species including humans, bees, fish, rodents, and monkeys. The editors have united the comparative approach with its emphasis on evolutionary determinants of behavior, the neurobiological approach with its emphasis on the neural determinants of behavior, and the cognitive approach with its emphasis on understanding higher-order mental functions. The combination of these three approaches provides an unusual look at the neurobiology of comparative cognition, and should stimulate increased investigations in this field and related disciplines.
The ninth volume in this highly acclaimed series discusses the
computational and clinical approaches to pattern recognition and
concept formation regarding: visual and spatial processing models;
computational models, templates and hierarchical models. An ideal
reference for students and professionals in experimental psychology
and behavioral analysis.
______________________ What do my dog's barks mean? Should I be brushing their teeth? How do I even know what kind of dog is right for me? Let's be honest, pets may seem pretty straightforward, but as soon as you become an owner there are so many questions. Mat Ward is an internationally recognised expert on dog behaviour, and for him the secret to success is knowing that dogs and humans are both full of potential. (To prove it, he once taught a rescue dog how to fly a plane.) His tips for being the world's best owner come with original illustrations that explain everything you need to know, from how to avoid 'separation anxiety' to why dogs wag their tails. With this book, you'll learn how your pet's brain really works and discover amazing, direct ways to train them at any age from puppy upwards. Play new games, develop communication skills and just relax into having fun together! Your dog will be well-trained and contented - and that means you'll feel happy too. ______________________ Drawings by Rupert Fawcett, the cartoonist behind Off the Leash and Fred.
This seventh volume, divided into four parts, addresses the
biological determinates of reinforcement and memory. Covers topics
in electrical brain stimulation, drugs and reinforcement, and
cellular mechanisms.
First published in 1988. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
First published in 1988. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
The sixth volume in this respected series systematically presents
and evaluates quantitative models of various foraging phenomena,
including: steady state decision rules; acquisition of decision
rules; perception and learning in foraging behavior.
First published in 1986. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
First published in 1986. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Those who have been privileged to watch baboons long enough to know them as individuals and who have learned to interpret some of their more subtle interactions will attest that the rapid flow of baboon behavior can at times be overwhelming. In fact, some of the most sophisticated and influential observation methods for sampling vertebrate social behavior grew out of baboon studies, invented by scientists who were trying to cope with the intricacies of baboon behavior. Barbara Smuts' eloquent study of baboons reveals a new depth to their behavior and extends the theories needed to account for it. While adhering to the most scrupulous methodological strictures, the author maintains an open research strategy--respecting her subjects by approaching them with the open mind of an ethnographer and immersing herself in the complexities of baboon social life before formulating her research design, allowing her to detect and document a new level of subtlety in their behavior. At the Gilgil site, described in this book, she could stroll and sit within a few feet of her subjects. By maintaining such proximity she was able to watch and listen to intimate exchanges within the troop; she was able, in other words, to shift the baboons well along the continuum from "subject" to "informant." By doing so she has illuminated new networks of special relationships in baboons. This empirical contribution accompanies theoretical insights that not only help to explain many of the inconsistencies of previous studies but also provide the foundation for a whole new dimension in the study of primate behavior: analysis oft he dynamics of long-term, intimate relationships and their evolutionary significance. At every stage of research human observers have underestimated the baboon. These intelligent, curious, emotional, and long-lived creatures are capable of employing stratagems and forming relationships that are not easily detected by traditional research methods. In the process of unraveling their complex social relationships, Smuts has revealed that these masters of strategy and aggressive competition are equally capable of patience, tenderness, and concern. "Barbara B. Smuts" is professor of psychology and anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is also the author of Primate Societies.
During the past quarter century, there has been a tremendous expansion in our knowledge about gastropods, their behavior and their neurobiology. We can understand a great deal about mammaliam nervous systems by studying the relatively larger and simpler structure of the gastropod nervous system. Behavior and its Neural Control in Gastropod Molluscs first reviews the broader aspects of molluscan biology and draws attention to the special features of the gastropod nervous system. The book then examines different types of behavior, reviewing progress in understanding the mechanisms of neural control, and emphasizing cases in which control can be attributed to identified neurons and indentified neural circuits.
First published in 1985. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Cats Work Like This is for cat lovers who know that even after ten thousand years of living with cats, no one really has a clue what their cat is thinking. In this insider's guide to the habits of these puzzling animals, the authors offer insights from two generations of watching their cats work. They share the sometimes hilarious and often astonishing observations on cats that have accumulated over ages, and offer some useful insights into how to understand your own cat. Though there are many famous felines, it is the day to day cat which provides the most enduring interest. Though each one's behaviour and mannerisms are unique, we can find enough practices in common to guide you to becoming an expert in how cats work. Chapters include Habits, with an insight into how cats train you to have the right ones; and The Scientific Cat, with observations and empirical learning following the classic scientific method, as cats don't listen well enough to be subjects in any other kind of experimentation. Learn how cats practice their values and explore what your cats know about you. Find out what cats do while you sleep, what a cat's eyes can tell you and what there is to understand about political and 'eco' cats. With a focus on attention, emotion, cute affection, manipulation, cunning and cussedness, Cats Work Like This gives a rare insight into the workings of a cat's elusive mind.
First published in 1984. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
First published in 1982. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
There isn't one conversation about animal ethics. Instead, there are several important ones that are scattered across many disciplines.This volume both surveys the field of animal ethics and draws professional philosophers, graduate students, and undergraduates more deeply into the discussions that are happening outside of philosophy departments. To that end, the volume contains more nonphilosophers than philosophers, explicitly inviting scholars from other fields-such as animal science, ecology, economics, psychology, law, environmental science, and applied biology, among others-to bring their own disciplinary resources to bear on matters that affect animals. The Routledge Handbook of Animal Ethics is composed of 44 chapters, all appearing in print here for the first time, and organized into the following six sections: I. Thinking About Animals II. Animal Agriculture and Hunting III. Animal Research and Genetic Engineering IV. Companion Animals V. Wild Animals: Conservation, Management, and Ethics VI. Animal Activism The chapters are brief, and they have been written in a way that is accessible to serious undergraduate students, regardless of their field of study. The volume covers everything from animal cognition to the state of current fisheries, from genetic modification to intersection animal activism. It is a resource designed for anyone interested in the moral issues that emerge from human interactions with animals.
This volume brings together the world's leading experts on disgust to fully explore this understudied behavior. Disgust is unique among emotions. It is, at once, perhaps the most "basic" and visceral of feelings while also being profoundly shaped by learning and culture. Evident from the earliest months of life, disgust influences individual behavior and shapes societies across political, social, economic, legal, ecological, and health contexts. As an emotion that evolved to prevent our eating contaminated foods, disgust is now known to motivate wider behaviors, social processes, and customs. On a global scale, disgust finds a place in population health initiatives, from hand hygiene to tobacco warning labels, and may underlie aversions to globalization and other progressive agendas, such as those regarding sustainable consumption and gay marriage. This comprehensive work provides cutting-edge, timely, and succinct theoretical and empirical contributions illustrating the breadth, rigor, relevance, and increasing maturity of disgust research to modern life. It is relevant to a wide range of psychological research and is particularly important to behavior viewed through an evolutionary lens, As such, it will stimulate further research and clinical applications that allow for a broader conceptualization of human behavior. The reader will find: Succinct and accessible summaries of key perspectives Highlights of new scientific developments A rich blend of theoretical and empirical chapters
What's to be done about a jaywalking moose? A bear caught breaking and entering? A murderous tree? Three hundred years ago, animals that broke the law would be assigned legal representation and put on trial. These days, as New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach discovers, the answers are best found not in jurisprudence but in science: the curious science of human-wildlife conflict, a discipline at the crossroads of human behavior and wildlife biology. Roach tags along with animal-attack forensics investigators, human-elephant conflict specialists, bear managers, and "danger tree" faller blasters. Intrepid as ever, she travels from leopard-terrorized hamlets in the Indian Himalaya to St. Peter's Square in the early hours before the pope arrives for Easter Mass, when vandal gulls swoop in to destroy the elaborate floral display. She taste-tests rat bait, learns how to install a vulture effigy, and gets mugged by a macaque. Combining little-known forensic science and conservation genetics with a motley cast of laser scarecrows, langur impersonators, and trespassing squirrels, Roach reveals as much about humanity as about nature's lawbreakers. When it comes to "problem" wildlife, she finds, humans are more often the problem-and the solution. Fascinating, witty, and humane, Fuzz offers hope for compassionate coexistence in our ever-expanding human habitat. |
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