Behavioral Neurobiology: An Integrative Approach (Psychology)

Animals often exhibit intriguing and captivating patterns of behavior, from migration and homing, to communication. But how is this behavior controlled? This new textbook introduces undergraduate students and other readers to the fascinating field of neuroethology--the study of the neurobiological processes underlying animal behavior. Written in a lively, easy to read style, and assuming no background knowledge of animal behavior or neurobiology, this book introduces the key concepts and ideas which underpin the subject, and describes many of the key findings that have helped us to understand this intricate and elegant subject. Beginning with a look at the history of the study of behavior, from Aristotle to recent breakthroughs and predictions for the future, the book then reviews the ethological and neurobiological concepts that constitute the essential tools of behavioral neurobiology, before moving on to the field of neuroethology itself. In each chapter, the text not only describes the major findings in each area, but also describes the approaches used to obtain these results. Many chapters contain a detailed case study describing the research performed. A key feature of the text is the number of excellent learning aids included. Each chapter ends with a summary of key points, exercises and suggestions for further reading. Boxes are used both to provide relevant physical and chemical background information and to add additional historical interest by describing the life and work of eminent neuroethologists.