PSYC 311 1st Edition Lecture 1Overview of Current LectureI. Introduction to Comparative Psychology II. Reasons to Study BehaviorIII. Ethical ConsiderationsIV. Why Animals?V. Major Influences Current LectureI. Is there really comparative psychology?a. Not really: over 60% of animal studies use raats due to: i. Cost, genetic control, similarity to man, rapid maturation b. 90-95% of studies use rats or entry level psychology students Reading: “The Snark was a Boojam” (Frank Beach)II. Reasons to Study Animal Behaviora. Early on: predators of us, prey for usi. We are “predated upon” predators 1. Learn behavior habits of what was “outside the cave”a. Animals are faster, bigger, have better weapons, etc. b. Curiosity: general interesti. Pets, movies, national geographic, animal planet c. Economic benefits: ag/mariculturei. Control of predators (taste aversion, lithium chloride)ii. How to improve livestock and crops iii. Mariculture1. Crawfish farms and hatcheries a. Keep crawfish traps in flooded rice fields 2. Colorado rainbow trout hatcheries a. 10% initial survival; shock introduced, survival increased to 65%iv. Conservation/preservation of natural resources v. Economic consequences of “messing with Mother Nature”Reading: Effect of Removing Apex Predators from the Food Chain (shark fins)vi. BalanceThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.1. Sharks dying leads to increasing number of cownose rays, and a decreasing number of crabs/scallops2. Yellowstone wolves – “prune the herd”d. Models of Man i. Drugs and diseases, genetics1. Albino rats – cheap and more docile2. Armadillos and leprosy – only animal modeling this diseaseReading: “Dobermans and Narcolepsy”ii. Space – chimps, effect of weightlessness Reading: Dogs Behaving Badly and OCDReading: What can you use chimps for? 2013 Research Guidelines III. Ethical Considerations: why animals?a. Questions that should be addressed: i. Is it necessary?1. According to whom? Are models of humans needed?ii. Is it humane?1. Is pain involved? Severe deprivation? Methods of euthanasia?iii. Which animal is most appropriate?1. Requires knowledge b. Types of questions – proximal vs. ultimali. What are behaviors that animals exhibit and what stimuli trigger them?1. Behavioral repertoire a. Bonobos sexual behavior (“perverts”)i. Smaller than chimps, different behaviorsb. Chimp tool making and use in the wild ii. How questions – how does behavior occur? (proximal)1. Physiological explanation of developmental changes 2. Sonar usage: requires additional brain usage iii. Why questions – ultimal1. What is survival rate of the behavior?a. Existence of a trait enhances survivability i. Gene associated with surviving phenotype are perpetuated 1. Giraffes long neck (grow tall to reach tall trees)2. Pronghorn speed (predator = American cheetah)a. Cheetah extinct 3. White rhino (grazer) vs. black rhino (browsers)a. Based on lips4. Prehistoric shoveler elephants IV. Historical Aspects of Animal Behaviora. Knowledge of animal behavior essential in hunting and predating i. Louis Leakey – described possible hunting techniques of early man ii. Animals have one primary defense and several backups1. Rabbits – camouflage and speed (right angles)Reading: Thomas Malthus; Darwin turns 200; Wallace – the man who wasn’t DarwinV. Three Major Influences a. Theory of Evolution by Natural Selectioni. Malthus: Theory of Evolution (1798)1. Populations increase geometrically but food and resources increase arithmetically 2. Malthusian Trap – the population eats increasing amounts of food, and still continues to grow – never a break in the amount of food eatena. Population increases more quicklyii. Darwin (1859)1. Competition for resources and competition to avoid predatorsa. Reproduction of the Fittestiii. AR Wallace: came to same findings as Darwin, at the same time, but did not publish 1. Malay, Indonesia2. “Wallace Line” – similarity of animals across line 3. Controversial to publish findings because the theory of evolution was against the Bible iv. Georges John Romanes1. Stated that studies of animals can generate knowledge relevant for humans a. Anthropomorphized – attributed human characteristics to animalsi. Exceptions “prove” the rule v. C. Loyd Morgan – critical of Romanes’ assumptions 1. Law of Parsimony – Morgan’s Canon, Occam’s Razor, KISSa. Always explain phenomena in simplest way that accounts for all the