Programme

SYLLABUS
Ethology: historical outline. Classic and operant conditioning. The three Nobel awards, founders of modern ethology: K. Lorenz, K. Von Frisch, and N. Tinbergen. Ethology, sociobiology and behavioral ecology. The evolutionary approach to the study of behaviour. Levels of analysis in the study of behaviour: questions on “how” and “why”. The study of causation and ontogenesis (proximate causes), survival value and evolution (ultimate causes).
(1) Behavioural control. Exogenous factors and endogenous factors. Sensory filtering. Stimuli and signals. Fixed action patterns, evocative stimuli, innate triggering mechanism. Biorhythms. The biological clock. The hormonal state. The behavioural decision: the motivation. Spatial orientation. Compasses. The olfactory map.
(2) Ontogenesis of behaviour. Role of genes and the environment. Behavioural endocrinology. The interactive theory of development, the organisational-activational hypothesis: development organization and sexualisation of the brain. Non-associative, associative, and complex learning. Imprinting. Behavioural control: nervous system and hormonal system.
(3) The adaptive value of behaviour. The comparative approach to the study of behaviour. Signal evolution and communication. Communication: definitions, honest communication and deception. Ritualisation. Natural and artificial selection. Predatory and anti-predatory strategies: the arms race. Reproductive and social behaviour. Optimal strategies, fitness and reproductive success. Sexuality and innovation. Darwininan and post-Darwinian sexual selection. Sexual dimorphism. Conflict strategies between sexes. Parental investment. Mating systems and social life. Sociality and group life: costs and benefits of socializing; the kin selection; altruism and evolution. Game theory.

Core Documentation

RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS:
- AA.VV. 2022. Etologia. Lo studio del comportamento animale. UTET Università
- Alcock, J. 2007. Etologia, un approccio evolutivo. Zanichelli
TEXTBOOKS FOR FURTHER READINGS:
- Manning, A. e Stamp Dawkins, M. 2003. Il comportamento animale. Bollati Boringhieri.
- Krebs J.R. e Davies N.B. 2002. Ecologia e comportamento animale. Bollati Boringhieri
- Bolhuis, J.J. & Giraldeau, l. 2005. The behavior of animals: mechanisms, function and evolution.
- Campan, R. & Scapini, F. 2004. Etologia. Zanichelli
- Nelson, N.J. 2002. An introduction to behavioral endocrinology. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland
- Andersson, M 1994. Sexual selection. Princeton University Press
- Mainardi, D. 1992. Dizionario di etologia. Einaudi
- Martin, P. & Bateson, P. 2003. La misurazione del comportamento. Una guida introduttiva. Liguori editore

All textbooks can be found in the library

The professor receives by appointment via email: monica.carosi@uniroma3.it

Reference Bibliography

Students are provided with a document that lists for each lesson topic which textbook and which chapters are most relevant for the study, and for each topic it lists recent scientific papers for further study. Students are also provided with PDFs of lessons and of scientific papers suggested.

Type of delivery of the course

This is a lecture-based course (40h), which expects a strong interactive component between teacher and students and includes practical activities and excursion (25h). In-depth primary literature articles may be suggested in class and later provided to students. During the course there might be interventions by external experts on particular topics of interest.

Type of evaluation

Final exam is divided into a written and an oral test. The written test, lasting one hour, consists of two open questions and aims at "forcing" the student to use a more precise and rigorous language, to organize the logic of the answer in a sequential manner, by first expressing the definitions, then the explanation and finally the relative examples. What is expected from the student in the written test, is verbally explained in class by the instructors before the exam takes place. Furthermore, heading of the test sheet is the following statement: “Candidates are reminded that the way in which the answers are written will also constitute an element of judgment. Answers which are conceptually correct but written in a language which is not appropriate for a university course, will be judged less positively than equally conceptually correct answers, however written in a language appropriate to a university culture level ". The oral test consists of a discussion of the written test, if necessary, and continues with open questions. Final evaluation of the exam consists of the average of the score obtained in the written and oral test. Based on the assortment of students in the class and their degree of participation to discussions, the exam might also include the preparation of a Power Point presentation or an essay on one of the practical activities included in the course.