ETHOLOGY
cod. 02267

Academic year 2013/14
1° year of course - Second semester
Professor
Academic discipline
Zoologia (BIO/05)
Field
Discipline del settore biodiversità e ambiente
Type of training activity
Characterising
47 hours
of face-to-face activities
6 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in - - -

Learning objectives

The aim is to provide the bases of animal behaviour knowledges, from hystorical
researches of European ethologists and American behaviorists to recent studies
throught an evolutionary approach.

Prerequisites

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Course unit content

The course aims to give the student the basis of the study of animal behaviour from
the analysis of basic knowledge to modern evolutive approach with particular
attention to some research topics as communication, sociality and sociobiological
theories.

Full programme

1) The Behaviorism and the European Ethololgy
2) Aims, Methods and main topics of ethology
3) An evolutionary approach to animal behaviour
4) Reflexes and the complex behaviour
5) Behaviour and stimuli
6) Instincts and Learning
7) Genes and Behaviour
8) The Evolution of Behaviour
9) Learning: individual and social learning; Imprinting and Imprinting-like
phenomena
10) Play and Tool Use
11) Motivation
12) Motivational Conflict
13) Animal Communication
14) Aggressive Behaviour and Territoriality
15) Reproductive Behaviour and Parental Care
16) The Ecology of Social Behaviour
17) Altruism
18) Feeding Behaviour
19) Predatory and Antipredatory Behaviour
20) Animal Orientation
21) Migration
22) Pathological Behaviour
23) Symbioses

Bibliography

Alcock J.: "Etologia - Un approccio evolutivo" Ed.: Zanichelli, 2007.
Krebs J.R. e Davies N.B.: "Ecologia e comportamento animale" Ed.: Bollati
Boringhieri, 2002. Manning A., Dawkins M.S.: "Il comportamento animale" Ed.:
Boringhieri, 2003.
Campan R., Scapini F.: "Etologia" Ed. Zanichelli, 2005.

Teaching methods

Oral Lessons

Assessment methods and criteria

Oral Exam

Other information

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