Principles Of Animal Communication

Starting with the physics and physiology of signal production, propagation and reception, this book provides a useful introduction to the principles of animal communication. Only a minimum of algebra is required to understand the text.

Based on the approach laid out in the 1950s by Nobel laureate Nikolaas Tinbergen, this book looks at animal communication from the four perspectives of mechanisms, ontogeny, function, and phylogeny.

The scientific study of animal behavior is conducted under the domain of ethology. It primarily focuses on the behavior of animals under natural conditions and views it as an evolutionary adaptive trait. It generally focuses on behavioral processes instead of particular animal groups. Understanding of animal behavior plays an important role in animal training. Some of the learning characteristics which are studied within this field are habituation, associative learning, imprinting and observational learning. Ethology also studies animal communication and emotions in animals. Communication in animals refers to the transfer of information from a single animal or a group of animals to one or more animals. Such information generally affects the current or future behavior of the receivers. This book unfolds the innovative aspects of animal behavior which will be crucial for the holistic understanding of the subject matter. Some of the diverse topics covered in this book address the varied branches that fall under this category. It will serve as a valuable source of reference for those interested in this field.

A valuable overview and analysis of foundational concepts in animal behaviour studies, including information, meaning, communication, signals and cues. Its comprehensive introduction and numerous illustrations will make it accessible to students and researchers from a wide variety of academic backgrounds, ranging from ethology and evolutionary biology to philosophy of mind.

Papers by members of the Royal Society Study Group on Non-Verbal Communication.

Since the last edition of this definitive textbook was published in 2013, much has happened in the field of animal behavior. In this fourth edition, Lee Alan Dugatkin draws on cutting-edge new work not only to update and expand on the studies presented, but also to reinforce the previous editions’ focus on ultimate and proximate causation, as well as the book’s unique emphasis on natural selection, learning, and cultural transmission. The result is a state-of-the-art textbook on animal behavior that explains underlying concepts in a way that is both scientifically rigorous and accessible to students. Each chapter in the book provides a sound theoretical and conceptual basis upon which the empirical studies rest. A completely new feature in this edition are the Cognitive Connection boxes in Chapters 2–17, designed to dig deep into the importance of the cognitive underpinnings to many types of behaviors. Each box focuses on a specific issue related to cognition and the particular topic covered in that chapter. As Principles of Animal Behavior makes clear, the tapestry of animal behavior is created from weaving all of these components into a beautiful whole. With Dugatkin’s exquisitely illustrated, comprehensive, and up-to-date fourth edition, we are able to admire that beauty anew.

Gull chicks beg for food from their parents. Peacocks spread their tails to attract potential mates. Meerkats alert family members of the approach of predators. But are these--and other animals--sometimes dishonest? That's what William Searcy and Stephen Nowicki ask in The Evolution of Animal Communication. They take on the fascinating yet perplexing question of the dependability of animal signaling systems. The book probes such phenomena as the begging of nesting birds, alarm calls in squirrels and primates, carotenoid coloration in fish and birds, the calls of frogs and toads, and weapon displays in crustaceans. Do these signals convey accurate information about the signaler, its future behavior, or its environment? Or do they mislead receivers in a way that benefits the signaler? For example, is the begging chick really hungry as its cries indicate or is it lobbying to get more food than its brothers and sisters? Searcy and Nowicki take on these and other questions by developing clear definitions of key issues, by reviewing the most relevant empirical data and game theory models available, and by asking how well theory matches data. They find that animal communication is largely reliable--but that this basic reliability also allows the clever deceiver to flourish. Well researched and clearly written, their book provides new insight into animal communication, behavior, and evolution.