An Introduction to Animal Behaviour

Dr Hemmings looks at the adaptive significance of reproductive behaviour.

Dr Lummaa looks at the ways learning and environment affect the proximate development of behaviours.

Dr Lummaa looks at the proximate mechanisms animals use to regulate their behaviour.

Dr Lummaa looks at the evolution of communication.

In this introductory video, Professor Tim Birkhead provides an outline of the study of animal behaviour, with specific reference to Niko Tinbergen's s "four questions", by which animal behaviour is analysed. These are in terms of two "proximate" questions - how behaviour develops in an individual's life and the conditions that cause the behaviour to be exhibited, and two "ultimate" questions - how certain behaviours evolve in a species, and understanding their adaptive significance. Broad methodologies for researching these four questions are presented. The video, which is aimed primarily at students of course APS126 at The University of Sheffield, will be of benefit to students of animal behaviour on other degree courses or at A level, as well as of broader interest.

Dr Lummaa looks at genes and development of behaviour.

Dr Hemmings looks at sensory stimuli, or "modalities" that result in certain behaviours in birds.

Dr Hemmings introduces the concepts of proximate and ultimate questions in studying animal behaviour.

Professor Tim Birkhead provides a summary of lecture 1, looking at the work of the pioneering scholars of animal behaviour. In particular he summarises Tinbergen's "four questions" in studying animal behaviour.