The science of animal behavior is called ethology. Main directions and history of research

Relations between people and animals began to take shape even in primitive times. Know the habits and behaviors of various inhabitants of our planet was vitally important for people who lived at that distant time. Some species of animals were so dangerous that meeting with them threatened an imminent death for the carefree hunter. Only knowledge of the mechanisms that drive these ferocious creatures could save life in such a situation.

Primitive times

Previously, the attitude towards animals was completely different than in our days. This is evidenced by numerous rock paintings and primitive works of art of the time. If the current person imagines himself the master of the land and considers the animals to be a soulless resource that must be used for his own purposes, our ancestors treated this issue quite differently.

Then the animals were revered, learned from them, some even deified. Not only does a person change the world, adapting to the constantly changing conditions of the environment. Evolution has ideally adapted all living beings to their habitat. For example, ants can teach the correct organization of collective work and even the principles of building all kinds of structures. Beavers show an example of how the mind and assertiveness can change the world. Tiger is an excellent hunter with excellent reflexes.

In those distant times there were their own sciences, studying the behavior of animals. Of course, they were much easier, but despite this, they led to mutually beneficial cooperation. So, dogs could warn about the approach of strangers, in return receiving part of the food produced by people. Observation of wild animals could provide information on the approach of a natural disaster. It is not surprising that the strikingly acute feelings of animals caused respect and the desire to imitate them.

History of studies of behavior and psyche of animals

When did the modern system of knowledge, which studies the psyche of animals, begin to develop? It can be said that this research trend originated in the 19th century, thanks to Jean Baptiste Lamarque. Today, the science of animal behavior is called ethology and has many followers around the world, but in those early days such knowledge was more of a philosophy than a natural science. Lamarck was the first to outline the theory that organisms change under the influence of the external environment.

The talented Frenchman believed that the transformations taking place in the physiology of living beings are caused by the reaction of their nervous system to the constantly changing conditions of life. He believed that the psyche of the animal changes first, and then the qualities necessary for adaptation are transferred, which are passed on to the next generations.

Revolutionary approach

Lamarck determined the main directions in studying the behavior of animals for many years to come. He argued that the psyche depends on the nervous system and identified three basic mental acts - irritability, sensitivity and consciousness. In addition, he believed that instincts occupy a key place in the life of animals, as they allow you to act correctly, without wasting time on meditation and uncertainty. It is interesting that Lamarck did not put a person apart from animals, as his colleagues like to do.

Of course, one can not talk about ethology without mentioning Charles Darwin. The contribution of this eminent person to science can not be overemphasized. His work, entitled "Manifestations of emotions in animals and humans," considered the behavior of living beings from the point of view of evolution, which served as the basis for further scientific research of his disciples and followers.

Darwin

Ethology - the science of animal behavior, and other related industries, owe much to Charles Darwin. This non-standard person was born in the UK, where he was educated at the best universities in the country. But his innovative conclusions were not made in laboratories and libraries. He traveled the world for six years, watching the animals, studying their behavior and halo. Do not be Darwin, who knows how modern science would develop.

It was the works of Charles Darwin who studied man and animals from an evolutionary point of view. The scientist believed that the qualities that his colleagues attributed only to the individual (curiosity, attentiveness, love, imitation) are among our smaller brothers. Often they are poorly developed, but in some cases not inferior to humans. Also, many instinctive reactions, such as hair loosening or grinning teeth are inherent in both animals and humans. It was precisely the works of Darwin that became the base on which the studies of the founders of the ethology - Lorentz and Tinbergen were built.

Darwin's Conclusions

The conclusions to which this tireless researcher came were fundamentally different from the generally accepted dogmas of the time. It was he who began an objective, not subjective, study of the psyche. The main directions of the science of animal behavior evolved due to this approach. Previously, scientists considered a person to be something separate from nature, thought that its laws do not apply to people and do not affect them in any way. Of course, such ridiculous conclusions only amused the self-esteem of such researchers, but did not develop science.

Darwin refused these illusions. Moreover, he came to the conclusion that people and primates have a common ancestor, since their instincts are similar to each other. He also identified three main categories of behavior: instincts, learning ability, and reasoning ability. In his opinion, the difference between the psyche of man and animals was not in quality, but in the degree of development.

Ethology

The science of animal behavior is called ethology. Its founders are considered to be Conrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen. It was these zoologists who decided to combine the evolutionary and causal approach to the study of animal behavior. They were interested in the reasons why the beast performs this or that action, what significance it has for the survival of the species and its evolutionary development.

Ethology is the science of instincts. The behavior of animals in this case is meaningless to consider without taking into account their habitat. Lorenz, Tinbergen and other scientists working in this field understood that instincts were formed as an attempt of the organism to adapt to the conditions of the external environment. Therefore, it is the habitat that forms both the physiological characteristics of the species and its behavioral responses.

Principles of Ethology

Most of the inhabitants do not even know what the science of animal behavior is called. And ethology, by the way, is a serious discipline. Scientists of this branch base their conclusions on materials obtained when observing animals in their natural habitat. The development of technology has significantly simplified this process. Now ethologists can take the behavior of animals on video, make audio recordings. This allows not only to consider in detail every moment of the life of a particular species, but also to share it with colleagues. Also, the camcorder can observe the life of wild animals without disturbing them.

This allowed modern scientists to learn the basic features of the formation of instincts, to become acquainted with the role of incentives that trigger them. Ethologists try to learn more about the role of acquired and innate qualities. It turned out that some instincts develop even when the animal does not interact with the stimulus that causes them. It is interesting that it is instincts that ensure the harmonious coexistence of individuals of one species and their dispersal in a certain area.

The importance of ethology

As you already know, the science of animal behavior is called ethology. This word is infrequent, but the importance of discipline is very high. Observation of wild animals in their natural habitat helps to better understand the world around and, accordingly, better adapt to it. After all, everything on the planet is interconnected, each species of living beings, one way or another, affects the entire ecosystem. Moreover, by studying the behavior of animals, it is possible to draw interesting conclusions about ourselves, to understand why people act like this, and not in another way.

Not everyone knows the name of the science of animal behavior, but most of us use its fruits. Research in this area will be able to optimize an important industry, such as livestock. To date, this industry is fully automated, turned into a ruthless conveyor using primitive concepts of living beings. The products received are of terrible quality, not to mention the harm that it does to the health of consumers. Unfortunately, it is impossible to carry out objective studies on this topic, as companies engaged in livestock production are very rich. If we apply the knowledge obtained by ethologists in agriculture, the quality of the products will necessarily increase.

Prospects

The science of animal behavior is called ethology and is one of the most important areas for today. Man has exploited nature too long without thinking about what he does. However, the knowledge gained by ethologists can put an end to this. The application of these studies in practice will help restore the natural order of things on Earth. Understanding how the instincts of animals were formed will allow us to look into the past of our own kind, to understand in what conditions our ancestors lived and, at last, to discover the secret of the origin of man.