9.20 Animal Behavior (Fall 2005, MIT OCW). Instructor: Professor Gerald Schneider. Most of the major categories of adaptive behavior can be seen in all animals.
749 years, 11 months
27
This course begins with the evolution of behavior, the driver of nervous system evolution, reviewed using concepts developed in ethology, sociobiology, other comparative studies, and in studies of brain evolution. The roles of various types of plasticity are considered, as well as foraging and feeding, defensive and aggressive behavior, courtship and reproduction, migration and navigation, social activities and communication, with contributions of inherited patterns and cognitive abilities. Both field and laboratory based studies are reviewed; and finally, human behavior is considered within the context of primate studies.
Course Currilcum
- Lecture 01 – Animals in Human History, Amateur and Professional Studies Unlimited
- Lecture 03 – Introduction to Ethology, Tinbergen’s Questions; Field Studies of Birds Unlimited
- Lecture 04 – Lorenz’ Jackdaws Unlimited
- Lecture 05 – Ethology of Geese; FAPs and CNS Unlimited
- Lecture 07 – Motivation (cont.) Unlimited
- Lecture 08 – Lorenz on FAPs Unlimited
- Lecture 09 – Lorenz on IRMs Unlimited
- Lecture 10 – Models, Hierarchies and Chains of Action Patterns Unlimited
- Lecture 11 – Spatial Orientation, Multiple Motivations Unlimited
- Lecture 13 – Evolution of Behavior, Genes, Learning Unlimited
- Lecture 14 – Navigation, Migration, Communication Unlimited
- Lecture 16 – Foraging Unlimited
- Lecture 17 – Anti-predator Behavior Unlimited
- Lecture 18 – Anti-predator Behavior (cont.) Unlimited
- Lecture 20 – Mating & Reproduction, Intro Unlimited
- Lecture 21 – Sociobiology Intro Unlimited
- Lecture 22 – Sociobiology Subject Matter Unlimited
- Lecture 23 – Genes and Behaviors Unlimited
- Lecture 24 – Sociobiology and Science Unlimited
- Lecture 25 – Discoveries of Sociobiology Unlimited
- Lecture 27 – Discoveries of Sociobiology Unlimited
- Lecture 29 – Cultural Determinism and Sociobiology Unlimited
- Lecture 30 – Sociobiology and Culture Unlimited
- Lecture 32 – Practical Issues in Study of Adaptation Unlimited
- Lecture 33 – The Triumph of Sociobiology Unlimited
- Lecture 36 – Lorenz on Learning Unlimited
- Lecture 37 – Exam Review Session Unlimited