Comparative Psychology: Human and Animal Behaviour: A Sociobiological Approach

217 Pages·1996·17.11 MB·English

by  Tony Malim

Comparative Psychology
Human and Animal Behaviour: A Sociobiological
Approach
INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY
This series of titles is aimed at psychology students in sixth forms
and further education colleges and at those wishing to obtain an
overview of psychology. The books are easy to use, with compre
hensive notes written in coherent language; clear flagging of key
concepts; relevant and interesting illustrations; well-defined objec
tives and further reading sections to each chapter; and self-assess
ment questions at regular intervals throughout the text.
Published
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
Ann Birch and Sheila Hayward
DEVELOPMENT PSYCHOLOGY
Ann Birch and Tony Malim
COGNITIVE PROCESSES
Tony Malim
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Tony Malim and Ann Birch
COMPARATIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Tony Malim, Ann Birch and Sheila Hayward
PERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHOLOGY
Tony Malim, Ann Birch and Alison Wadeley
Forthcoming
BIOPSYCHOLOGY
Sheila Hayward
RESEARCH METHODS AND STATISTICS
Tony Malim and Ann Birch
COMPARATIVE
PSYCHOLOGY
Human and Animal Behaviour: A
Sociobiological Approach
Tony Malim, Ann Birch and Sheila Hayward
© Tony Malim, Ann Birch and Sheila Hayward 1996
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Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this
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First published 1996 by
MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS
and London
Companies and representatives
throughout the world
ISBN 978-0-333-63918-4 ISBN 978-1-349-13776-3 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-13776-3
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
05 04 03 02 01 00 99 98 97 96
Cartoons by Sally Artz
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Contents
List of Figures and Boxes vii
Preface viii
Acknowledgements ix
1
Introducing the Study of Animal Behavior 1
I Introduction 1
II Fields of Study 14
III Methods of Study of Animal Behaviour 20
IV Some Ethical Considerations 23
2
Instinct and Learning in the Natural
Environment 31
I Adaptation to the Environment 31
II Development of Behaviour within the Individual 42
III Motivation 53
3
Learning and Behaviour 77
I Different Kinds of Learning 79
II Comparative Study of Learning and Memory 94
III Applications of Learning Theory to Humans 108
4
Animal Communication 121
I The Bases of Communication 121
II Social Communication 128
III Teaching Human Language to Animals 138
v
vi Contents
5
Social Behaviour 159
I Forms of Social Organisation 160
II Territory and Social Organisation 166
III Social Dominance 171
IV Parents and Offspring 175
Bibliography 187
Index 203
List of Figures and Tables
Figures
2.1 The Courtship Display of the Great-Crested Grebe: An
Example of Ritualisation. 33
2.2 The Cerci of a Cockroach, Used in Detecting Air
Movements 36
2.3 Examples of Birds' Eggs Mimicked by Cuckoos. 54
2.4 Diagram of the Psychohydraulic Model of Motivation
Proposed by Lorenz ( 1950). 57
2.5 Diagrammatic Representation of Hull's General
Drive Theory. 59
2.6 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Model of Motivation 62
3.1 The Process of Classical Conditioning 82
3.2 Trained Pigeons in a Skinner Box (from Moore, 1973) 88
3.3 A Sketch of One of Tolman's (1932) Mazes 90
3.4 A Problem Situation Used by Kohler (1927) with
Chimpanzees 92
3.5 The Concept of Triangularity (from Hebb, 1958) 98
3.6 A Scheme for the Three stages of Memory
Storage Proposed by Andrew ( 1985) 106
3.7 Am Extract from a Linear Program on Operant
Conditioning 117
4.1 Expression of Fear and Aggressiveness in Cats
(after Leyhausen 1956) 133
Boxes
2.1 Neural Factors in Motivation 73
3.1 The Behaviourist Approach to Learning 78
4.1 Comprehension Vocabulary of Dolphins
(Herman eta/., 1984) 149
4.2 M/R Training Used with Parrot, Alex
(Pepperberg 1983) 153
vii
Preface
This book aims to provide an introduction to the comparative study
of human and animal behaviour. It takes as its starting point the
evolutionary pressures which have influenced the behaviour of humans
and animals. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the evolution of
behaviour from a sociobiological perspective, outlines the main fields
of study in this area and includes a commentary on methods of
study and the ethical considerations which are involved. Chapter 2 is
concerned with the ways in which both instinctive and learned be
haviour contribute to the adaptation of animals to their environments.
Chapter 3 focuses particularly upon learning, both simple and more
complex. In Chapter 4 the focus turns to communication among ani
mals and ends with a discussion of attempts which have been made
to teach animals human language. Finally, in Chapter 5 there is
discussion of the social organisation of animals. Throughout the book
an attempt has been made to use an examination of the behaviour of
animals to throw light upon human behaviour. While it is clearly un
wise to extrapolate too closely from animal to human behaviour, attention
has been drawn to ways in which similar influences apply to both.
As with the rest of the books in this series the intention is to
provide a concise framework of comprehensive notes which may be
used as a basis for further study. Each chapter begins with objec
tives to be met, and at the end of each section there are self-assess
ment questions to help independent students test their understanding
of the section. Readers are advised to work carefully though the
text, one section at a time, before considering the self-assessment
questions following it. After further study or reading the questions
may be re-examined.
The focus of the book is mainly those who are involved with
GCE A-level and GCSE. It is, however, of more general value to
those with an interest in animal behaviour. This may include students
on degree courses as well as student nurses and midwives, BTEC
students and anyone else encountering psychology for the first time.
We have confidence that this book will prove to be stimulating and
enjoyable.
Tony Malim
Ann Birch
Sheila Hayward
Vlll
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the help and assistance of Stephen
Lea of the the Dept of Psychology, Exeter University, for his very
helpful and detailed comments both on the outline and later on the
draft of this book.
Sally Artz is responsible for the creation of the cartoons which
appear at the beginning of each chapter and our thanks are due to
her once again.
The authors and publishers are grateful to the following for per
mission to reproduce an illustration: Figure 3.6 is reprinted with
permission from An Introduction to Animal Behaviour, 4th edn, by
A. Manning and M. S. Dawkins, published by Cambridge Univer
sity Press.
IX