Perspectives on Animal Behavior

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This book incorporates ecological and environmental principles while introducing readers to the scientific reasoning and methodology of animal behavior. The authors include classical studies but also incorporate current work to give readers an accessible overview of animal behavior.

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A nice book to learn about Ethology and Animal Behavior.......2000-10-13

I'm glad I found this book. It is a very good text to start learning abou animal behavior and ethology. I had the impression tha this book is easier to read and more organized than other books about the subject, especially if you have a Psychology background, since it's approach to the subject dosen't require a lot of Zoology knowledge from the reader, as other books on the subject do.

Sense and Nonsense: Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Behaviour

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Sorting out the Issues
God sense, not nonsense
A breath of fresh air

Sense and Nonsense: Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Behaviour
Kevin N. Laland , and Gillian Brown
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0198508840

Book Description

Evolutionary theory is one of the most wide-ranging and inspiring of scientific ideas. It offers a battery of methods that can be used to help us understand human behaviour. Nevertheless, the legitimacy of this exercise is at the centre of a heated controversy that has raged for over a century. Many evolutionary biologists, anthropologists and psychologists have taken these evolutionary principles and tried using them to explain a wide range of human characteristics, such as homicide, religion and sex differences in behaviour. Others, however, are sceptical of these interpretations. Moreover, researchers disagree as to the best ways to use evolution to explore humanity, and a number of schools have emerged. 'Sense and Nonsense' provides an introduction to the ideas, methods, and findings of five such schools, namely, sociobiology, human behavioural ecology, evolutionary psychology, memetics, and gene-culture co-evolution. Carefully guiding the reader through the mire of confusing terminology, claim and counter-claim, and polemical statements, Laland and Brown provide a balanced, rigorous analysis that scrutinizes both the evolutionary arguments and the allegations of the critics. This is a book that will be make fascinating reading for popular science readers, undergraduate and postgraduate students (for example, in psychology, anthropology and zoology), and to experts on one approach who would like to know more about the other perspectives. Having completed this book the reader will feel better placed to assess the legitimacy of claims made about human behaviour under the name of evolution, and to make judgements as to what is sense and what is nonsense.

Customer Reviews:

Sorting out the Issues.......2005-08-13

Kevin Laland is a prominent researcher in gene-culture coevolution, niche construction (the study of how organisms modify their social and physical environment, and thereby modify their own gene pool) and animal social learning. Gillian Brown is a primatologist who studies parenting behavior. Their book is a study of six strands of evolutionary theory as applied to human behavior: (a) Darwin and his pre-sociobiology followers (including Galton, Spencer, Lorenz, Tinbergen, von Frisch, and Ardrey); (b) the founders of sociobiology, including Dawkins, Trivers, Hamilton, Maynard Smith, and E. O. Wilson; and three offshoots of sociobiology, (c) behavioral ecology (including Hill, Kaplan, Hawkes, and Chagnon); (d) evolutionary psychology (including Cosmides, Tooby, Daly, Margo Wilson, Pinker, Buss); (e) memetics; and (f) gene-culture coevolution (including Cavalli-Sforza and Feldman, Boyd and Richerson, and Laland himself).

The title is inspired by the authors' impression that, despite the fact that the academic social sciences have virtually ignored evolutionary approaches, the public finds them very sexy and provocative, to the point where evolutionary research is continually influenced by political and journalistic concerns, and the science tends to be overwhelmed by the junk and the hype. I fully share this impression, and I think they have done a fine job in extracting the "sense" from the "nonsense." They even manage to treat memetics seriously, despite the fact that memetics' attempt to detach culture from reproduction, production, cooperation, conflict, and the other basic activities of social life cannot possibly succeed.

Laland and Brown vigorously defend the early Darwinists and sociobiologists against the many politically motivated attacks against them (they do not deal with religious critiques). While the authors recognize that their ideas have often eclipsed by more contemporary research, they find no major fault in the constitution of these two schools. I think this is a bad mistake. In the century from Darwin to E. O. Wilson, evolutionary researchers managed to isolate themselves from every mainstream social science, including economics, sociology, psychology, political science, and to a lesser extent, anthropology. It is futile to blame this on the mainstream. The fault lies squarely with the evolutionary theorists, who failed to make a convincing case for the position.

This is quite unforgivable, because mainstream social science has made many central contributions that must be integrated into evolutionary theory to provide a solid, scientific body of knowledge concerning human behavior. Laland and Brown give no reason for this isolation of evolutionary theory, except the trivial commonplaces mouthed by virtually everyone in this tradition (traditional social science is ideology, the mainstream is afraid of being tainted with the sins of eugenics and racist genetic determinism, and so on). The major problem facing evolutionary theory today is not to shuck the nonsense, but to account for its failure to become part of the mainstream, I believe, and Laland and Brown do not recognize this.

The very idea of forming schools of thought, such as behavioral ecology, evolutionary psychology, and gene-culture coevolution is an indication of the inability of evolutionary theory to consider itself a science. Scientists seek integration, not fragmentation. Behavioral ecologists, for instance, are anthropologists who study simple societies, while evolutionary psychologists are psychologists who study commonalities in human behavior across all societies. How could they possibly consider themselves "alternative" theories? They very idea is absurd, a capitulation to the natural human tendency to congregate in small groups of "insiders" whose major motivation is to triumph over the many groups of "outsiders" whose strange ways are threatening and unsettling.

This one issue aside, I find Laland and Brown very convincing in adjudicating among the various approaches, and in their plea for tolerance and exchange of information among them. Like the authors, I believe that gene-culture coevolution is the overarching principle that includes the others as subclasses. I also believe that gene-culture coevolution is the most promising basis for the integration of evolutionary with mainstream social science. The authors' only critique of gene-culture coevolution is that it tends to be highly mathematical and does not generate many empirical studies. I do not agree with this critique. Cavalli-Sforza and Feldman, as well as Boyd and Richerson, have done admirable empirical work, and with the use of experimental game theory in recent years, we will have much more such research in the near future. The true critique of gene-culture coevolutionary theory, in my view, is its ignorance of and contempt for traditional social science. Unless this is overcome, evolutionary social theory will remain marginalized for the foreseeable future.

Of course, most potential readers of this book will have the same prejudices concerning the traditional disciplines as do the authors, and they should find this book a welcome and incisive corrective to the disarray within evolutionary social theory.

God sense, not nonsense.......2004-02-18

The final chapter of E O Wilson's Sociobiology was a bombshell whose shockwaves reverberate today. Kevin Laland and Gillian Brown set out to sift through the morass of evolutionary approaches to human nature that is has spawned.

This is a useful review of the various schools of research, although I would have liked a firmer conclusion than 'a pluralistic approach is best'. Sometimes the authors could be a little less polite and have a little more bite.

Good stuff overall though, probably most helpful for those new to the area, or for students looking for an introduction. The book is a little light in content, concentrating on methodology, but the emphasis on cultural processes, absent from many evolutionary discussions, is most refreshing.

Do Laland and Brown successfully separate the sense from the nonsense? No. But they do equip the reader with some of the tools to do it for herself.

A breath of fresh air.......2002-07-17

This book is both a great read, and an informative one, for anyone interested in human behavior, evolutionary theory, and the links between the two. The area of potential evolutionary bases to human behavior has traditionally been filled with much controversy, some fighting, scattered irresponsible speculations and pronouncements that at times have produced tragic effects, and quite often, more heat than light. Laland and Brown have produced a book that is truly a breath of fresh air. One of the things I liked most about Sense and Nonsense is that Laland and Brown had actually sat down to talk with--and listen to--many of the leading proponents of different "schools" of thought. They work hard in Sense and Nonsense to give a fair presentation of each different approach, before moving on in each chapter to provide their own analysis of the approach presented from their own perspective as working scientists. In the midst of an area in which some researchers have been prone to simply shout louder--often literally--at those they disagree with, Laland and Brown have truly taken the time to listen, reflect, and form considered and thoughtful judgements. This is a service to all of us: After reading their book, I know that I will always look reflect differently on researchers' claims of evolutionary bases of human behavior, whether that's hearing them at a conference, or reading a journal article, or the latest best-selling book or TV interview. If you want to improve your understanding of evolution and human behavior, get a guided tour through the area and its controversies by two thoughtful experts, and come out with a changed perspective that will likely always stay with you, then read Sense and Nonsense. Great book.

Homosexual Behaviour in Animals: An Evolutionary Perspective

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Homosexual Behaviour in Animals: An Evolutionary Perspective

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521864461

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Behavioural observations from both the field and captivity indicate that same-sex sexual interactions are widespread throughout the animal kingdom, and occur quite frequently in certain non-human species. Proximate studies of these phenomena have yielded important insights into genetic, hormonal and neural correlates. In contrast, there has been a relative paucity of research on the evolutionary aspects. Homosexual Behaviour in Animals seeks to readdress this imbalance by exploring animal same-sex sexual behaviour from an evolutionary perspective. Contributions focus on animals that routinely engage in homosexual behaviour and include birds, dolphin, deer, bison and cats, as well as monkey and apes, such as macaques, gorillas and bonobos. A final chapter looks at human primates. This book will appeal to graduate students and researchers in evolutionary biology, biological anthropology, zoology, evolutionary psychology, animal behaviour and anyone interested in the current state of knowledge in this area of behavioural studies.

Behavioural Models in Psychopharmacology: Theoretical, Industrial and Clinical Perspectives

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Behavioural Models in Psychopharmacology: Theoretical, Industrial and Clinical Perspectives

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 052139192X

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Much of psychopharmacology is concerned with the use of animal behavior to model aspects of human psychiatric disorders. Even so, behavioral models in psychopharmacology are used for different purposes; the main concern of industrial psychopharmacologists is specifically to develop new and improved drugs for the treatment of mental disorders, while research scientists use animal models to investigate the underlying nature of such conditions. The important distinction between these different perspectives is made explicit for the first time in this book. By considering such conditions as anxiety, depression, mania and schizophrenia, feeding disorders, dementia, and drug dependence, this book provides a comprehensive and critical review of the adequacy of the behavioral procedures used by psychopharmacologists to model psychiatric disorders.

Sexual Selection in Primates: New and Comparative Perspectives

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Sexual Selection in Primates: New and Comparative Perspectives

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 052153738X

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Successful reproduction is not always a cooperative affair, but rather a competition between males, with females having the final "say." Throughout there is conflict regarding when, with whom and how often mating should occur. This volume provides the first comprehensive summary of the various forms of sexual communication and behavior and the consequences of the interaction between the sexes.

Intelligence As Adaptive Behavior: An Experiment in Computational Neuroethology (Perspectives in Artificial Intelligence)

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Intelligence As Adaptive Behavior: An Experiment in Computational Neuroethology (Perspectives in Artificial Intelligence)
Randall D. Beer
Manufacturer: Academic Pr
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0120847302

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The "intelligence" of traditional artificial intelligence systems is notoriously narrow and inflexible--incapable of adapting to the constantly changing circumstances of the real world. Although traditional artificial intelligence systems can be successful in narrowly prescribed domains, they are inappropriate for dynamic, complex domains, such as autonomous robot navigation.**This book proposes an alternative methodology for designing intelligent systems based on a model of intelligence as adaptive behavior. The author describes an experiment in computational neuroethology--the computer modeling of neuronal control of behavior--in which the nervous system for an artificial insect is modeled. The experiment demonstrates that simple, complete intelligent agents are able to cope with complex, dynamic environments--suggesting that adaptive models of intelligence, based on biological bases of adaptive behavior, may prove to be very useful in the design of intelligent, autonomous systems.

Key Features
* Provides a lucid critique of traditional artificial intelligence research programs
* Presents new methodology for the construction autonomous agents, which has implications for mobile robotics
* Of interest to researchers in a variety of fields: artificial intelligence, neural networks, robotics, cognitive science, and neuroscience

Primate Perspectives on Behavior And Cognition (Decade of Behavior)

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Primate Perspectives on Behavior And Cognition (Decade of Behavior)

Manufacturer: American Psychological Association (APA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1591474221

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In Primate Perspectives on Behavior and Cognition, experts with a diverse range of perspectives explore the contributions made to the study of primate cognition and behavior and provide guideposts for new generations of researchers studying behavior as manifested across primate species. The contributors first explore commonly used research methodology and then look at the groundbreaking content of recent research. Throughout this volume, contributors provide rich data and discussion of cutting-edge studies. In addition to serving as a comprehensive and integrative review of a wide range of research areas, the chapters in this volume establish a research agenda for years (and careers) to come. This book will be a vital resource for researchers in comparative psychology and cognitive psychology as well as for behaviorists, neuropsychologists, biopsychologists, and developmental psychologists.

Rodent Societies: An Ecological and Evolutionary Perspective

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Rodent Societies: An Ecological and Evolutionary Perspective

Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226905373

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Rodent Societies synthesizes and integrates the current state of knowledge about the social behavior of rodents, providing ecological and evolutionary contexts for understanding their societies and highlighting emerging conservation and management strategies to preserve them. It begins with a summary of the evolution, phylogeny, and biogeography of social and nonsocial rodents, providing a historical basis for comparative analyses. Subsequent sections focus on group-living rodents and characterize their reproductive behaviors, life histories and population ecology, genetics, neuroendocrine mechanisms, behavioral development, cognitive processes, communication mechanisms, cooperative and uncooperative behaviors, antipredator strategies, comparative socioecology, diseases, and conservation. Using the highly diverse and well-studied Rodentia as model systems to integrate a variety of research approaches and evolutionary theory into a unifying framework, Rodent Societies will appeal to a wide range of disciplines, both as a compendium of current research and as a stimulus for future collaborative and interdisciplinary investigations.

Deception: Perspectives on Human and Nonhuman Deceit (Suny Series in Animal Behavior)

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Deception: Perspectives on Human and Nonhuman Deceit (Suny Series in Animal Behavior)
Robert W. Mitchell , and Nicholas S. Thompson
Manufacturer: State University of New York Press
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Binding: Paperback

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Animal Play: Evolutionary, Comparative and Ecological Perspectives

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great review on play

Animal Play: Evolutionary, Comparative and Ecological Perspectives

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521586569

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Why do animals play? Play has been described in animals as diverse as reptiles, birds and mammals, so what benefits does it provide and how did it evolve? Careful, quantitative studies of social, locomotor and object play behavior are now beginning to answer these questions and shed light on many other aspects of both animal and human behavior. This unique interdisciplinary volume brings together the major findings about play in a wide range of species including humans. Topics about play include the evolutionary history of play, play structure, function and development, and sex and individual differences. Animal Play is destined to become the benchmark volume in this subject for many years to come, and will provide a source of inspiration and understanding for students and researchers in behavioral biology, neurobiology, psychology and anthropology.

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great review on play.......2006-11-04

Very good approach to play behaviour. Lots of information on ontogeny, proximate mechanisms and function of different types of play behaviour over a wide range of animals, including humans. Would suit psychologists, anthropologists, zoologists, neurologists and behaviourists in general, undergraduates or academics. Fluid enough as review but plenty of information on more detailed subjects.

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