Animal Behavior

Catalog description

This course provides students with a solid grounding in integrative behavioral biology. Topics related to the scientific study of animal behavior will be covered, including general rules and themes (e.g., genes, development, and environment) and types of behavior (e.g., migration; cooperation). The course emphasizes a deep understanding of concepts in animal behavior, examples of high-quality research, and critical engagement with essays that summarize recent experiments and conclusions. Students will develop a nuanced understanding of central issues relating to behavioral biology, including the interplay of genes and environment, the dynamics of behavioral evolution, the connection between brain and behavior, the importance of and influences on learning, and the promises and limitations of a biological study of human behavior. As part of this course, students will be required to complete an animal behavior project at a local zoo. Students are responsible for their own transportation to a local zoo.