PSYC 205 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-4: Behavioral Ecology, Sensory System, David H. Hubel
17 Oct 2017
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Chapter #1: comparative cognition researchers study many species, employ methodologies, and work with many research departments, 3 main hallmarks: cognition/acquisition, storage, the processing of mental information. Experimental methods in a lab or natural environment. Evolutionary theory framework for research findings: basi(cid:272) te(cid:374)ets of dar(cid:449)i(cid:374)"s theor(cid:455) of e(cid:448)olutio(cid:374) si(cid:373)plified: Variation (species having psychological and physical variability for diversity) Heritability (offspring inherit traits from their parents) Survival and reproduction (having a trait that aids in survival and therefore reproduction) Comparative cognition research studies how cognitive traits influenced: s(cid:272)ie(cid:374)tists said that dar(cid:449)i(cid:374)"s ideas of a(cid:374)i(cid:373)al thi(cid:374)ki(cid:374)g (cid:449)ere relied o(cid:374) a(cid:374)e(cid:272)dotal e(cid:448)ide(cid:374)(cid:272)e by these evolutionary factors shape physiological traits instead of tightly controlled experiments. Behaviourism then begun during the mid 20th century and studied behaviour instead of mental states: during this time, ethnologists were studying animal"s behaviour in their natural habitat, tinbergen created 4 questions to understand a behaviour. Chapter 2: sensory abilities across animals usually matches their environmental demands.
