Animal Behaviour Basics

Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989) is thought of as one of the founders of modern ethology. He shared the Nobel Prize in 1973 with Niko Tinbergen and Karl von Frisch.  Lorenz studied instinctive behaviours - ' the inherent inclination of a  living   organism  towards a particular complex  behaviour .' Two of his chosen animals were greylag geese and jackdaws. It is his work on geese imprinting that we will look at this week. Birds that leave the nest early often 'imprint' on the first moving thing they see (think Fly away home). Lorenz didn't discover this phenomenon, but he did become known for describing this as an instinctive behaviour. This imprinting does not happen in human babies as they are born immobile and therefore do not need to form the attachment straight away. You are going to look at his work and discuss his findings, potential implications and the ethical considerations. Please do this by answering the following questions in the comments...

Animal Behaviour Basics Studying animal behaviour looks at how anatomy and genetics link to an animal's behavioural responses. Both external and internal stimuli prompt behaviours in every species, from the weather and predation to hormones and hunger.  Scientists are drawn to studying this topic for many reasons, though it is only very briefly touched upon in A level. Many scientists study this area of Biology as it helps to describe some human responses, for example by studying primates. Studies of altruism and group dynamics in other species may not only fascinate but suggest reasons for our own tendencies. Humans have been documenting animal characteristics and behaviour since Homo sapiens started drawing on cave walls. There has always been a fascination with animals and a drive to understand them - often for our own use. However, more modern studies and research in genetics and physiology have improved our understanding further. This MOOC will look at some of the...