Week 9. The Function of Behaviors

November 2th: Communication and signaling

"Communication" is not a simple concept to define though we have seen it repeatedly throughout this course. The guppies were communicating in order to choose a mate, the electric fish were using another mode of communication that is not as familiar to us humans.

read:
Sinervo chapter ??
Burghardt (1970) "Defining Communication" on e-reserve
think Umwelt Partan, S. and Marler, P (2002) The Umwelt and Its Relevance to Animal Communication:
Introduction to Special Issue. J. Comp. Psych. 116,:116 –119.

November 2th: Dominance and Aggression

read:
Sinervo chapter??
Wingfield et al (1987) Testosterone and Aggression in Birds Sci Am. 75:602-608. e-reserve