SASA10147U Ethology

Volume 2013/2014
Education
BSc Programme in Animal Science
MSc Programme in Animal Science - semi-compulsory
Content
Levels of explanation in ethology 
Tinbergen's four questions, behavioural mechanisms

Development of behaviour 
maturation, nature/nurture, FAP/MAP, instincts, effect of early experience, perinatal stress

Stimuli and communication
perception, sensory exploitation, peripheral and central stimulusfiltration, pattern recognition, deception

Motivation and decision-making
behavioural needs, homestasis model, psychohydraulic model, wanting vs liking, optimality models

Learning and memory
operant and classical conditioning, conditioned emotional response, SSDR, generalisation, discrimination, declarative and procedural memory, implicit and explicit memory, levels of intentionality

Adaptiveness of behaviour
Evolutionary Stable Strategies, kin selection, selfish gene, levels of selection, reciprocal altruism, infanticide

Social organization
formal dominance, leadership, mating systems

Companionanimals
dog vs wolf, dog aggression, training methods, effect of punishment, the human-animal relationship, behavioural problems
Learning Outcome
The aim of the course is to give a theoretical introduction to the main areas of animal behaviour. The behaviour of production, companion, laboratory and wild animals will be exemplified. The purpose of this is to make the students capable of understanding the function and mechanisms of behaviour, and apply this knowledge in both an applied and a basic setting.

When the course is finished the student is expected to:

Knowledge:
- Describe the behaviour of animals from a functional perspective
- Describe the causal mechanisms of behaviour
- Understand the theoretical basis for the basic needs of animals

Skills:
- Discriminate normal and abnormal behaviour
- Identify relevant motivational systems for a given behaviour
- Use scientific principles to explain and evaluate different problems in animal behaviour

Competencies:
- Work independently and effectively in a group on a joint project
-  Search for scientific literature on specific topics related to animal behaviour
- Assess contribution and quality of work of peers
Literature
An introduction to Animal Behaviour (2012) by Aubrey Manning and Marian Dawkins, 6th edition

Further material will be assigned at the beginning of the course
Knowledge corresponding to two years of animal science or biology studies.
The first half of the course consists of lectures on the foundations of ethology, as well as the behaviour of companion animals. This part is followed by a written exam. The second part of the course consists of problem based learning where the students work in groups to tackle different problems in ethology, applying the knowledge gained in the first half of the course.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 48
  • Preparation
  • 72
  • Project work
  • 86
  • Theory exercises
  • 0
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 4 hours under invigilation
Other under invigilation
Written exam mid-course contributes 60% to the overall mark
Peer assessment of problem based learning assignments, weighted by the quality of the assignements, contributes 40% to the overall mark
Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Exam period
Midway in course (written exam half-way in the course)
Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student shall be able to:

Knowledge:
- Describe the behaviour of animals from a functional perspective
- Describe the causal mechanisms of behaviour
- Understand the theoretical basis for the basic needs of animals

Skills:
- Discriminate normal and abnormal behaviour
- Identify relevant motivational systems for a given behaviour
- Use scientific principles to explain and evaluate different problems in animal behaviour

Competencies:
- Work independently and effectively in a group on a joint project
- Search for scientific literature on specific topics related to animal behaviour
- Assess contribution and quality of work of peers