Animal Behaviour (Psychology of Animals)
Study Animal Behaviour to find out about animal learning, cognition, perception, social behaviour, aggression, training, handling, disorders, and more. This course is for those working with animals or animal owners.
STUDY ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Learn about the psychology of animals- Students of psychology (animal study has long been a foundation for understanding human behaviour)
- People who work with animals (farms, wildlife, pets)
- Animal owners and animal lovers
- Laying a foundation to understand animal training
This course will develop your understanding and ability to modify the behaviour of domestic animals.
What You Will Do
- Observe an animal in the zoo, in the wild, or a domestic animal to identify examples of operant conditioning
- Give examples of reactive, active and cognitive behaviour in a type of animal with which you are familiar. Discuss how cooperation might be relevant to the behaviour of animals
- Distinguish between animal psychology and animal behaviour
- Talk with an animal breeder (amateur or professional) regarding observed similarities and differences in appearance and behaviour of offspring, compared with parents
- Research the breeding of one type of animal in order to control one or more behavioural characteristics. Examples of this might be: breeding dogs to perform better as a guard dog; breeding dogs to perform specific tasks; breeding cats to be a better human companion; breeding pigeons for homing; breeding horses for racing with a jockey; breeding cattle or goats to be more easily handled for milking
- Give two examples of behavioural characteristics in either a dog or a horse which have low heritability
- Give two examples of behavioural characteristics in either a dog or a horse which have high heritability
- Observe animals that are exposed to different stimuli and note their behaviour. Different stimuli can include: Exposure to new people, being in a cage versus being at liberty, entering new territory, light or darkness
- Explain what is meant by imprinting in animals or birds, when it is likely to occur, and the long-term effects
- Describe the role of chemoreceptors in an animal’s perception.
- Explain the role of sex pheromones in mating behaviour, and how are they sensed
- Classify selected animals according to whether they are endo-therms or ectotherms
- Explain how heat is lost from endo-therms to the environment and how this heat loss can be reduced
- Explain how the 3 types of orientation are used in navigation by more complex organisms
- Compare the behaviour of an animal on its own with its behaviour in a group situation
- Discuss how territorial and dominance systems become established
- Explain the role of aggression in social groups of mammals
- Research how different types of sexual strategy ensure that dominant genes are passed on
- Observe the behaviour of a single animal at a zoo, wildlife park or farm and identify any problems that you would anticipate with handling
- Interview two different people who work with the same kind of animal (e.g. 2 dog trainers, 2 horse riders, 2 cat breeders, 2 sheep farmers, 2 wildlife park animal handlers) to find out how they handle their animals, and differences they experience between individual animals
- Contact an animal welfare organisation (e.g. Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or equivalent) to discuss what kinds of animal behaviour problems they see resulting from mistreatment of animals
- Research particular kinds of abnormal animal behaviours eg. anxiety, phobic, obsessive, compulsive, hysterical, depressive
Lesson Structure
There are 8 lessons in this course:
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Introduction
- Influences and motivation; what is behaviour; causes of behaviour (eg. genetics, learning, external and internal influences); reactive, active and cognitive behaviour; conditioning.
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Genetics and Behaviour
- Understanding biology; natural selection; genetic variation; development of behaviour; behavioural genetics.
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Animal Perception and Behaviour
- How animals perceive things; what stimulates them and how do those stimuli function; instinct; neural control; sensory processes: sight, sound, hearing etc.
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Behaviour and the Environment
- Coordination; orientation; homeostasis; acclimatisation; circadian rhythms; biological clocks; reproductive cycles; etc.
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Social Behaviour
- Animal societies; aggression; social constraints; social order; play; sexual behaviour; communication.
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Instinct and Learning
- Conditioning and learning; extinction and habituation; instrumental learning; reinforcement; operant behaviour; biological and cognitive aspects of learning.
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Handling Animals
- Psychological affects of different handling techniques; training animals (horses, cats, dogs, etc). The student can choose which animals to focus on, though a variety are covered.
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Behavioural Problems
- Abnormal behaviour (eg. Psychotic; neurotic); domestication of animals; reducing human contact/dependence.
Accreditations
Animal Behaviour Tips - Insights into the Animal Mind
A lot of animal behaviour is cyclical, and often the cycles of behaviour are synchronized with some characteristic in the physical environment, such as night and day or seasonal weather changes. The most common cycle is one synchronised with the daily rising and setting of the sun. Coastal animals often display cycles synchronised with tidal cycles. Many animals (both aquatic and terrestrial) display cycles synchronised with lunar rhythms. Most animals tend to display cycles which relate to seasons. Seasonal cycles in sexual behaviour are particularly common.
When animals are relocated to a different environment, where day/night lengths or some other relevant factor is dramatically changed, their behaviour can be disturbed; however eventually, in most cases, their biological clock will reset to the new conditions. Daily and seasonal rhythms are most commonly affected by the stimuli of light duration and intensity. The onset of breeding season, for instance, in many animals, is stimulated by a sequential change in day lengths over the preceding months.
HOMEOSTASIS
This term was first used by American psychologist, Walter Cannon (1932) who wrote:
“The coordinated psychological processes which maintain most of the steady states in an organism are so complex and so peculiar to living beings – involving, as they may, the brain and nerves, the heart, lungs, kidneys and spleen, all working cooperatively –that I have suggested a special designation for these states, homeostasis”. Homeostasis occurs not (as once thought) through negative feedback mechanisms, but rather through a combination of feedback, feed forward and adaptive control.
Stress is often characterised as a threat to homeostasis; but this is only partly true. Some aspects of stress have little relevance to the internal environment of the body.
Both external and internal stimuli can cause stress (these stimuli are called “stressors”). Many different things can cause stress in an animal, ranging from physical (eg. injuries or illness) to the psychological (eg. presence of danger). Coping is a term used to describe when an animal makes an effective response to a stressor, and alleviates an undesirable situation.
Thermoregulation
Most animals have an optimum body temperature around which they function most efficiently. This is known as thermoregulation. Most animals are also able to influence their own body temperature to some extent, by means of adaptive behaviour or by utilising specialised physiological responses. Animals are able to detect changes in their body temperature, the environment or both through thermo-reception.
OTHER STUDY OPTIONS:
Dog Psychology and Training
Introduction to Psychology
For more information on the range of careers available in psychology, have a look at - http://www.thecareersguide.com/articles.aspx?category=14
Why You Should Study This Course
An understanding of animal behaviour is relevant to wide range of careers. Many people also own or interact with animals outside of the workplace. This course will help students to develop a greater awareness of animal behaviour and its meaning, from aggression to social groups, and mating to migration. It also examines how animals learn and the implications for training in domesticated animals. Whether you prefer to observe animals in their natural habitats or you are a pet owner, an understanding of animal psychology is of great benefit.
- Animal Training
- Veterinary nursing
- Veterinary science
- Ethology
- Animal science
- Psychology
- Pet grooming
- Horse riding
- Agriculture
This course will also appeal to pet owners and people with a general interest in animals and what makes them tick.
How can I start this course?
You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.
Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
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More information is here
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Course Contributors
The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.
Dr Robert Browne
Zoologist, Environmental Scientist and Sustainability, science based consultancy with biotechnology corporations. Work focused on conservation and sustainability.
Robert has published work in the fields of nutrition, pathology, larval growth and development, husbandry, thermo-biology, reproduction technologies, and facility design.Robert has B.Sc., Ph, D.
Dr. Gareth Pearce
Veterinary scientist and surgeon with expertise in agriculture and environmental science, with over 25 years of experience in teaching and research in agriculture, veterinary medicine, wildlife ecology and conservation in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Post-graduate qualifications in Education, Wildlife Conservation Medicine, Aquatic Veterinary Studies and Wildlife Biology & Conservation.
Gareth has a B.Sc.(Hons), B.V.Sc., M.A., M.Vet.S,. PhD, Grad. Cert. Ed.(HE), Post-Grad.Cert. Aq.Vet.Sc., Post-Grad. Cert. WLBio&Cons., Dipl. ECPHM, MRCVS.
Tracey Jones
Widely published author, Psychologist, Manager and Lecturer. Over 10 years working with ACS and 25 years of industry experience.
Qualifications include: B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), Dip. SW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies).
Jacinda Cole (Psychologist)
Psychologist, Educator, Author, Psychotherapist.
B.Sc., Psych.Cert., M. Psych. Cert.Garden Design, MACA
Jacinda has over 25 years of experience in psychology, in both Australia and England. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and a Masters in Psychology (Clinical) and also trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at the London Centre for Psychotherapy. She has co-authored several psychology text books and many courses including diploma and degree level courses in psychology and counselling. Jacinda has worked for ACS for over 10 years.
Horse Care
This book is an accumulation of information from biology, agricultural science and veterinary medicine. It looks to explore and explain the fundamentals of appropriate horse care aims and techniques. In doing so it will consider horsemanship as a combination of art and science.
Caring for Dogs
Covers Breeds, Creating a healthy home for dogs, legal issues, dog biology, recognising poor health, parasites, illnesses, nutrition, reproduction, dog psychology, behavioural development, training tips, behaviour problems, grooming, working in the dog industry, and more. This is a book for dog owners, students and anyone interested in working with dogs. 79 pages, 71 colour photos.
Getting Work in a Modern World
A realistic guide to getting a job or starting out in business. This is a must read; for students, parents, the unemployed, careers advisors or anyone interested in changing or forging a sustainable career.
Psychological Profiling
Psychological profiling is used to assess anyone from potential new staff and school children to serial killers. It helps you to determine someone’s personality, neuroses, mental health and career suitability. This book provides an excellent overview of psychological profiling techniques and pitfalls.
