The Study of Behavior

Outline:

• Study of Behavior
  • Comparative Psychology
  • Ethology
• Neuroscience
• Neuroethology

Comparative Psychology

Using animals to study human behavior and <Behaviorism> - a movement in psychology that advocates the use of strict experimental procedures to study observable behavior (or responses) in relation to the environment (or stimuli). This group believed in the dominant influence of learning and environment as opposed to genetics and heredity. Behaviourists study specific concepts (e.g., learning or memory) using artificial tasks in strictly controlled environments. A variety of tasks are utilized to assess spatial memory (e.g., Morris' water maze, Radial arm maze)

Declarative vs. non-declarative memory

Non-associative learning (Multiple exposure allows learning about the properties of the stimulus, e.g., Habituation, Sensitization) and Associative learning (Organisms learn about the relationship between multiple stimuli, or stimuli and responses, e.g., Classical Conditioning, Operant Conditioning).

Basic Concepts in Ethology