Animal Behaviour

Lesson Structure: Animal Behaviour BAG203

There are 8 lessons:

Introduction: Influences and motivation.
What is behaviour
Causes of behaviour (eg. genetics, learning, external and internal influences)
Reactive, active and cognitive behaviour
Conditioning
Genetics and Behaviour.
Understanding biology
Natural selection
Genetic variation
Development of behaviour
Behavioural genetics
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.
Behaviour and the Environment.
Coordination
Orientation
Homeostasis
Acclimatisation
Circadian rhythms
Biological clocks
Reproductive cycles etc.
Social Behaviour.
Animal Societies
Aggression
Social constraints
Social order
Play
Biological clocks
Communication
Instinct and Learning.
Conditioning and learning
Extinction and habituation
Instrumental learning
Reinforcement
Operant behaviour
Biological and cognitive aspects of learning
Handling Animals.
Psychological affects of different handling techniques
Training animals (horses, cats, dogs, etc).
The student has a choice of which types of animals to focus on, though a variety will still be covered.
Behavioural Problems.
Abnormal behaviour (eg. Psychotic, neurotic);
Domestication of animals
Reducing human contact
Reducing human dependence
Learning Goals: Animal Behaviour BAG203

Determine the set elements that influence animal behaviours
Depict how genes affect different animal reactions
Explain how animals respond to different stimuli
Show what environmental elements cause what types of behaviours in different animals
State how social influences in animals affect the ways they behave with regards to aggresiveness, play, sexual behaviour and others
Depict how animals adapt and learn
Discuss the various effects handlling techniques have on the psychology of an animal
Determine what constitutes as unusual or abnormal behaviour in animals (e.g psychotic, neurotic) and the different methods used to make animals independent from humans
Practicals:

Observe an animal in the zoo, in the wild, or a domestic animal. Try to observe what you consider to be an example of operant conditioning. Make notes.
Talk with an animal breeder (amateur or professional). This may be a pet owner whose cat or dog has given birth; or it may be a farmer, dog breeder, horse breeder, bird breeder or some other animal breeder.
Write a paragraph describing the behaviour of an animal (real or contrived) which utilizes the different words you learnt under terminology in this lesson
Classify the following animals according to whether they are endo-therms or ecto-therms; a dog, a penguin, a single celled protozoa, a lizard. How is heat lost from endo-therms to the environment, and how can this heat loss be reduced?
Observe an animal while it is on its own. Make notes of how it behaves. Observe the same animal or species of animal in a group situation or in the presence of one other animal of the same species. Make notes on its behaviour and pay attention to any noticeable differences compared to its solitary behaviour.
Visit a zoo, wildlife park or farm where animals are being confined in some way, and observe the behaviour of one particular type of animal over the course of an hour. This can be any animal you choose to study. Make notes on its behaviour, and any problems that you would anticipate with handling.
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the Academy, marked by the Academy's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.Lesson Structure: Animal Behaviour BAG203

There are 8 lessons:

Introduction: Influences and motivation.
What is behaviour
Causes of behaviour (eg. genetics, learning, external and internal influences)
Reactive, active and cognitive behaviour
Conditioning
Genetics and Behaviour.
Understanding biology
Natural selection
Genetic variation
Development of behaviour
Behavioural genetics
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.
Behaviour and the Environment.
Coordination
Orientation
Homeostasis
Acclimatisation
Circadian rhythms
Biological clocks
Reproductive cycles etc.
Social Behaviour.
Animal Societies
Aggression
Social constraints
Social order
Play
Biological clocks
Communication
Instinct and Learning.
Conditioning and learning
Extinction and habituation
Instrumental learning
Reinforcement
Operant behaviour
Biological and cognitive aspects of learning
Handling Animals.
Psychological affects of different handling techniques
Training animals (horses, cats, dogs, etc).
The student has a choice of which types of animals to focus on, though a variety will still be covered.
Behavioural Problems.
Abnormal behaviour (eg. Psychotic, neurotic);
Domestication of animals
Reducing human contact
Reducing human dependence
Learning Goals: Animal Behaviour BAG203

Determine the set elements that influence animal behaviours
Depict how genes affect different animal reactions
Explain how animals respond to different stimuli
Show what environmental elements cause what types of behaviours in different animals
State how social influences in animals affect the ways they behave with regards to aggresiveness, play, sexual behaviour and others
Depict how animals adapt and learn
Discuss the various effects handlling techniques have on the psychology of an animal
Determine what constitutes as unusual or abnormal behaviour in animals (e.g psychotic, neurotic) and the different methods used to make animals independent from humans
Practicals:

Observe an animal in the zoo, in the wild, or a domestic animal. Try to observe what you consider to be an example of operant conditioning. Make notes.
Talk with an animal breeder (amateur or professional). This may be a pet owner whose cat or dog has given birth; or it may be a farmer, dog breeder, horse breeder, bird breeder or some other animal breeder.
Write a paragraph describing the behaviour of an animal (real or contrived) which utilizes the different words you learnt under terminology in this lesson
Classify the following animals according to whether they are endo-therms or ecto-therms; a dog, a penguin, a single celled protozoa, a lizard. How is heat lost from endo-therms to the environment, and how can this heat loss be reduced?
Observe an animal while it is on its own. Make notes of how it behaves. Observe the same animal or species of animal in a group situation or in the presence of one other animal of the same species. Make notes on its behaviour and pay attention to any noticeable differences compared to its solitary behaviour.
Visit a zoo, wildlife park or farm where animals are being confined in some way, and observe the behaviour of one particular type of animal over the course of an hour. This can be any animal you choose to study. Make notes on its behaviour, and any problems that you would anticipate with handling.
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the Academy, marked by the Academy's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.Lesson Structure: Animal Behaviour BAG203

There are 8 lessons:

Introduction: Influences and motivation.
What is behaviour
Causes of behaviour (eg. genetics, learning, external and internal influences)
Reactive, active and cognitive behaviour
Conditioning
Genetics and Behaviour.
Understanding biology
Natural selection
Genetic variation
Development of behaviour
Behavioural genetics
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.
Behaviour and the Environment.
Coordination
Orientation
Homeostasis
Acclimatisation
Circadian rhythms
Biological clocks
Reproductive cycles etc.
Social Behaviour.
Animal Societies
Aggression
Social constraints
Social order
Play
Biological clocks
Communication
Instinct and Learning.
Conditioning and learning
Extinction and habituation
Instrumental learning
Reinforcement
Operant behaviour
Biological and cognitive aspects of learning
Handling Animals.
Psychological affects of different handling techniques
Training animals (horses, cats, dogs, etc).
The student has a choice of which types of animals to focus on, though a variety will still be covered.
Behavioural Problems.
Abnormal behaviour (eg. Psychotic, neurotic);
Domestication of animals
Reducing human contact
Reducing human dependence
Learning Goals: Animal Behaviour BAG203

Determine the set elements that influence animal behaviours
Depict how genes affect different animal reactions
Explain how animals respond to different stimuli
Show what environmental elements cause what types of behaviours in different animals
State how social influences in animals affect the ways they behave with regards to aggresiveness, play, sexual behaviour and others
Depict how animals adapt and learn
Discuss the various effects handlling techniques have on the psychology of an animal
Determine what constitutes as unusual or abnormal behaviour in animals (e.g psychotic, neurotic) and the different methods used to make animals independent from humans
Practicals:

Observe an animal in the zoo, in the wild, or a domestic animal. Try to observe what you consider to be an example of operant conditioning. Make notes.
Talk with an animal breeder (amateur or professional). This may be a pet owner whose cat or dog has given birth; or it may be a farmer, dog breeder, horse breeder, bird breeder or some other animal breeder.
Write a paragraph describing the behaviour of an animal (real or contrived) which utilizes the different words you learnt under terminology in this lesson
Classify the following animals according to whether they are endo-therms or ecto-therms; a dog, a penguin, a single celled protozoa, a lizard. How is heat lost from endo-therms to the environment, and how can this heat loss be reduced?
Observe an animal while it is on its own. Make notes of how it behaves. Observe the same animal or species of animal in a group situation or in the presence of one other animal of the same species. Make notes on its behaviour and pay attention to any noticeable differences compared to its solitary behaviour.
Visit a zoo, wildlife park or farm where animals are being confined in some way, and observe the behaviour of one particular type of animal over the course of an hour. This can be any animal you choose to study. Make notes on its behaviour, and any problems that you would anticipate with handling.
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the Academy, marked by the Academy's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.Lesson Structure: Animal Behaviour BAG203

There are 8 lessons:

Introduction: Influences and motivation.
What is behaviour
Causes of behaviour (eg. genetics, learning, external and internal influences)
Reactive, active and cognitive behaviour
Conditioning
Genetics and Behaviour.
Understanding biology
Natural selection
Genetic variation
Development of behaviour
Behavioural genetics
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.
Behaviour and the Environment.
Coordination
Orientation
Homeostasis
Acclimatisation
Circadian rhythms
Biological clocks
Reproductive cycles etc.
Social Behaviour.
Animal Societies
Aggression
Social constraints
Social order
Play
Biological clocks
Communication
Instinct and Learning.
Conditioning and learning
Extinction and habituation
Instrumental learning
Reinforcement
Operant behaviour
Biological and cognitive aspects of learning
Handling Animals.
Psychological affects of different handling techniques
Training animals (horses, cats, dogs, etc).
The student has a choice of which types of animals to focus on, though a variety will still be covered.
Behavioural Problems.
Abnormal behaviour (eg. Psychotic, neurotic);
Domestication of animals
Reducing human contact
Reducing human dependence
Learning Goals: Animal Behaviour BAG203

Determine the set elements that influence animal behaviours
Depict how genes affect different animal reactions
Explain how animals respond to different stimuli
Show what environmental elements cause what types of behaviours in different animals
State how social influences in animals affect the ways they behave with regards to aggresiveness, play, sexual behaviour and others
Depict how animals adapt and learn
Discuss the various effects handlling techniques have on the psychology of an animal
Determine what constitutes as unusual or abnormal behaviour in animals (e.g psychotic, neurotic) and the different methods used to make animals independent from humans