February 2022 Edition!

Introduction Ethology is the term used to describe studying of animal’s behavior. The scientist or researcher that study animal behavior are called an Ethologist. Ethologists study a variety of different animals where they carry out research to detect the different behaviors animals portrays. From the research conducted they will be able to gather information and make it accessible to other related professionals or expertise in the field of animal science. The study of animals’ behavior was developed in Europe which is known for the term; ethology (Grandin & Deesing, 2013). Over the years ethologist studied many different ways in which animal can behave by carrying out researches in the field/online etc.

Gregor Mendel was a scientist who came up with the idea about pure-bred and cross bred animals. He carried out several experiments that proved how genetic inheritance can alter the phenotype and genotype of an organism. His theories were also investigated as it relates to how genetics can influence the behavior of animals. There were scientists and theorists back in the day that studied a variety of techniques and ways to get animal to respond to different stimuli. They also observe and know their ability of reacting to the different stimuli. Animal behaviors can be detected in a variety of different ways, this document will expound on the different ways in which animal behaviors can be observed. Animal behavior can be divided into two main section; innate (behaviors that animals were born with) and learned behavior (behaviors that animals learn in addition to being observant) (Bozeman Science, 2012). These will be discussed in details (Pg. 12-16) within this developed essay. Some scientists believe that animals behavior can be detected based on the environment that they are living in. This can be as a result of how their nervous system reacts to changes within their environment. Sensory stimulation comes in here, this can have an influence on how the animals react. This document will provide you with the essential information needed to get a greater and much better understanding of what the term “Animal Behavior” is about. This term is not just a study or not just a belief of an investigated experiment conducted by a variety of scientists. This topic is wider than it looks, and this document will provide you with the most detailed understandable information regarding the field of animal behavior and how to better understand animals’ behaviors. This document will be elaborating on four points, they are as follows; 1. The effect genetics have on the behavior of animals. 2. The theory on behaviorism. 3. Ethology and neuroscience. 4. Innate and learned behaviors. All these four pointers will expounded on, and detail analysis will be provided regarding animals’ behavior.

The effect genetics have on the behavior of animals Genetics does influence the behavior of animals, this can be proven by various scientist and theorists that discover and speaks on how generation from generation can have an effect on an animals’ behavior. The morphological and physiological structure of an animal plays a very important role within an animal’s body. Morphological meaning the physical appearance of an animal’s body, with this we can detect if an animal is aggressive, calm or tame (temperament). The shape, and the physical working organs of the animal’s body can affect the behavior of an animal. So you see, here we are having some proof on how genetics can really have a great effect on an animal’s body. Just imagine yourself as a man born with muscular arm pits, which of course was inherited. You will behave differently than other men without strong muscular arms, you will flex (bend) your arms to show the muscular features, maybe for a “TikTok” video challenge or you would flex your arm to someone to show how muscular you are. Animals might not have fully developed brains like humans, but their behavior can vary based on their morphological appearance as well as how genetically their body was inherited from generation to generation. Darwin (1809–1882) believed in evolution as well as he believes that artificial selection and natural selection corresponded (Temple Grandin & Mark J. Deesing, 2013). Figure 1 shows the evolution and phenotypic of domestic animals. This shows how the genes of the animals have an effect on the phenotypic appearance of the animal. Fig 1: Photograph taken from Gillian P. McHugo, Michael J. Dover & David E. MacHugh, 2019.

The theories & beliefs on behaviorism Animal’s behavior can be detected in a variety of ways.There are theories that speaks on behaviorism, which helps to provide solid background understanding on how behaviorism theories can link to an animal’s behavior. The founder of behaviorism is known as J.B. Watson (1930). He believed that the differences in the environment can define all the differences in behavior of animals. He is saying that animals behave based on the environment they are socially involved in. He does not believe that genetics have anything to do with how an animal behave. This is where J.B. Watson have a different point of view from on the behavior of animals, unlike Darwin, who believed that evolution can be used to describe animal’s behavior. He believes that species can change over time depending on generation to generation, and this is how his theory links back to genetics and how genetics can have an effect on animal’s behavior. This is how the differences are shown in the different theories and how theorist & psychologist have their own beliefs and ideas about animals’ behavior. It gets even more interesting, the theory on behaviorism doesn’t stops or ends at one theorist or psychologist beliefs. B.F. Skinner (1958) has his own different beliefs compared to other believers that speaks on their own beliefs on things related to the animals’ behavior. B.F. Skinner explained how animals’ behavior can be detected by using stimulus-responses and operant conditioning (Grandin & Deesing, 2013). He believed that you can use foods as rewards for animals and through this, you can detect a certain behavior different animal’s will portray as it relates to sensing the food. It is just as how teachers would provide some form of positive reinforcement to students such as; a sweet or something educational, which will then leave a positive impression and a way of motivating the students to continue what they were doing to receive that form of reward. It is the same thing with animals. However, with this operant conditioning experiment that B.F. Skinner used, it was to train animals and to help shape their behavior. He used a rat and trained the rat using a simple skinner box, where the rat would push a lever to receive the food when the green lights arrive, but the trick to this skinner box invented by the great B.F. Skinner was not just to allow the rat to consistently view green light for food but it was also to teach the rat to push against the lever very quickly to prevent rapid shock which can in turn cause harm to the rat (Grandin & Deesing, 2013). Hence, the rat learns to only push against the lever, only when the green lights comes on and not when the red lights appears which means “danger” and will result in a shock. For example; at a stop light, the vehicle should only move off when there is a green light which means go and should stop when the red light is on which means stop. This is how the rat would react towards the stimuli. The signal light shown is called the “conditioned stimulus”. (Grandin & Deesing, 2013) I realized that overtime different theorist, psychologist and scientist develop theories or conduct successful experiments that prove different means by which animals’ behaviors can be portrayed. B.F. Skinner conducted an operant conditioning experiment which was successful and according to him. He believed that even the most complex behaviors of animals can be explained by using his conditioned response technique. From this he observed and saw how animals can be easily trained by reacting to stimuli from operant conditioning practices.

Ethology & neuroscience Ethology is the term used to study animal behavior. This means that the person who studies ethology is known as an; ethologist. Scientists who study the behavior of animals and work with animals know when they are in a certain mood. This knowledge will help scientists who breed animals to know when it is Young animals raised in separate environments can have an effect on the development of their nervous system of the animals. For example; wild animals are mostly reared in wild areas or woodlands, deserts etc. These animals are mostly prone to being wild or more active than animals raised in a zoo (enclose area), house (pets), etc. Animals reared in a household, their behaviors are generally different than those raised in the field where all other animals are and entangles with multiple different animal, observing and attracting their behaviors. An animal’s behavior is dependent upon a lot of factors, it can also be the case where they live in the field or woodland amongst many different or same species.

These animals tend to behave wilder, aggressive, etc. This is why the scientist discovers that the environment can play a major factor on the development of an animal’s nervous system. Animal’s behavior can be due to a whole lot of factors. Animals do produce hormones that are somewhat similar to those produces or secretes in a human’s body especially for mammalians. The adrenal glands do have an effect on an animal’s behavior. Why? The adrenal gland secretes hormones; adrenaline and noradrenaline. In human biology and physiology, (It is expressed/outlined/stated that) the inner and outer portion of the adrenal glands are responsible for the secretion of these hormones. The inner portion of the animals’ adrenal gland will secrete the adrenaline. This hormone is usually released when the animal is under attack (FEAR/ PANIC), and this goes right back to the emotional system of the animal which is reflected based on their response in behavior. If an animal is being attacked by a predator, this means that the animal will become FEARFUL of the other and tries to get out of its reach, to be able to survive. These signs can be detected based on the animal facial expressions sometimes, they might run, they might portray some escape behavior. Wilder species would protract stronger fearful response compared to domestic animals such as; cattle and sheep (Grandin & Deesing, 2013). If an animal is undergoing their mating season for example; swine (pig) they display behavioral signs such as; restlessness, standing heat etc. These are responses or signs given off to animal breeders or artificial inseminators would look out for in an animal behavior to know when it’s their mating season. This is how animal reproduction comes in place. Ethologist also looked into several means to know reason why animals behave a particular way. To be continued