Animal Behavior Screencasts

By David B. Miller

Natural Sciences Science & Medicine Education Higher Education

What's Animal Behavior Screencasts about?

Screencasts (video podcasts) hosted by Dr. David B. Miller Professor Emeritus at The University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, U.S.A. These screencasts were formerly used in Dr. Miller's Animal Behavior course from 2009 to 2017, prior to his retirement.

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Animal Behavior Screencasts episodes:

11.12.2018
Development: Episode 9: Early Experience (FINAL EPISODE IN THIS SERIES)
Early experience greatly affects behavioral development. Here we look at different ways of experimentally addressing how that takes place. THIS IS THE FINAL EPISODE OF THE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR SCREENCASTS SERIES. ALL EPISODES WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE ON iTUNES.
11.05.2018
Development: Episode 8: Reformulation of Imprinting
Konrad Lorenz’s original imprinting question concerned species recognition in relation to mate selection. This reformulation drills down to individual recognition as a possible mechanism underlying incest avoidance in relation to a model of optimal outbreeding posited by Sir Patrick...
10.22.2018
Development: Episode 6: Critical Periods
The concept of critical periods is often associated with imprinting as well as other phenomena ranging from experimental embryology to language development. The experimental study of critical periods, however, usually ignores a critical methodological problem, which is described here.
10.15.2018
Development: Episode 5: Imprinting
An examination of sexual and filial imprinting (social attachments) from an historical perspective.
10.08.2018
Development: Episode 4: Behavioral Embryology
Important events occur before birth or hatching, both in terms of embryonic movements and the influences of incoming sensory information. The extent of significant contributions to postnatal development can depend on how "altriciality" or "precociality" of the species. ...
09.14.2018
Communication: Episode 16: Ape Language Controversy
A look at the controversy surrounding the ape language controversy, including the apes Vicki, Washoe, Sarah, Lana, Sherman & Austin, Nim, Kanzi, and Panbanisha.
09.03.2018
Communication: Episode 15: Other Senses
Some nonhuman organisms use senses that are undeveloped in humans. As discussed here, these include electrical communication, magnetic sensitivity, surface wave communication, and dome pressure sensitivity.
08.27.2018
Communication: Episode 14: Tactile
Many species communicate via touch (tactile communication), including allogrooming, allopreening, etc. Here, we look at some examples, including swarming onset by locusts and tandem running in ants.
08.20.2018
Communication: Episode 13: Olfaction
Many animals communicate via odor molecules. Here we look at comparative aspects of olfaction, including underwater odor communication as well as olfactory receptors in the antennae of cockroaches.
08.13.2018
Communication: Episode 12: Vocal Imitation
Some bird species have excellent abilities to imitate other species of birds as well as other sounds. This brief episode shows a few examples.
08.07.2018
Communication: Episode 11: Song Complexity
Some animal vocalizations are relatively simple in acoustic structure, but many are also very complex and can be energetically costly to produce. So, why produce them? Here we examine some data on frog and bird vocalizations that offer...
07.30.2018
Communication: Episode 10: Methods of Studying Bird Song
In an attempt to ascertain how some species of song birds learn their songs, researchers have developed techniques to disrupt auditory input as well as output and assess the results on adult song.
07.23.2018
Communication: Episode 9: Bird Song Complexity, Mechanisms, and Development
An examination of the complexity of bird song, the syrinx—a structure that is primarily responsible for it, and how song develops from nestlings to adults.
07.16.2018
Communication: Episode 8: Sonic & Symbolic Communication
How nonhuman animals use sounds within the human hearing range to refer to specific items, such as threats from potential predators as well as food items.
07.10.2018
Communication: Episode 7: Ultrasounds & Infrasounds
Many nonhuman species send and receive auditory signals outside the range of human hearing. Low-frequency infrasound and high-frequency ultrasounds play numerous roles, as discussed here.
07.02.2018
Communication: Episode 6: Infrared & Ultraviolet Communication
Infrared & ultraviolet senses are used extensively by a wide variety of nonhuman organisms, even though these senses are outside the range of visible light to which humans are sensitive. Some examples shown here involve California Ground Squirrel tail...
06.25.2018
Communication: Episode 5: Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence is a form of visual communication involving pulses of light produced by specific organs in a variety of species, such as deep-sea fishes, jellyfishes, and fireflies.
06.11.2018
Communication: Episode 4: Visual Communication
Various aspects of how animals communicate visually, including the waggle dance of honey bees, how honeyguides help Boran people locate honey, asymmetrical tail-wagging of dogs that reflect different emotional states, and mockingbird recognition of threatening humans.
06.05.2018
Communication: Episode 3: Localization
Locating the source of an animal vocalizing ranges from relatively easy to quite difficult, and it all depends on structure of the signal. Easy-to-localize sounds are used for specific purposes, and difficult-to-localize sounds are used for other purposes, as...
05.29.2018
Communication: Episode 2: Physical Aspects
How nonhuman organisms deal with environmental noise to enable effective communication. Noise includes signal attenuation and signal degradation, and has effects on stimulus detection and stimulus recognition.
05.23.2018
Communication: Episode 1: Definition & Neuronal Mechanisms
The definition of communication is complex and somewhat controversial. We'll explore why that's the case, and then move on to some neuronal mechanisms enabling effective communication.
05.18.2018
Mating Behavior: Episode 7: Mating Systems
Different species have different mating systems that characterize the primary (though not solely) means under which reproduction occurs. Here, we examine perennial & seasonal monogamy, polygamy, including polygyny & polyandry, and promiscuity, including lekking species. Human mating systems...
05.07.2018
Mating Behavior: Episode 6: Breeding Synchrony
An examination of 3 reasons why some species of nonhuman organisms breed synchronously: Optimal Resource Availability; Social Foraging; and, Avoiding Predation.
05.05.2018
Mating Behavior: Episode 5: Speciation
An examination of sexual selection in relation to speciation, including runaway sexual selection and sensory exploitation.
04.26.2018
Mating Behavior: Episode 4: Inbreeding
Deleterious effects of inbreeding in lions, and mechanisms of incest avoidance in zebra finches via female choice of male song, and incest compensation in shore birds via extra-pair mating.
04.19.2018
Mating Behavior: Episode 3: Female Choice of Mate
When it comes to sexual selection, males court females, and females choose with whom to mate (with a few exceptions). Thus, female choice of mate is critical, and here we describe examples of this as well as related phenomena...
04.09.2018
Mating Behavior: Episode 2: Male Dominance
Males compete for females in a variety of ways: competitive mate searching, various mechanisms of sperm competition, and overt conflict. This screencast portrays each of these with a variety of examples.
04.02.2018
Mating Behavior: Episode 1: Sexual Selection
The Darwinian concept of sexual selection, explored through examples of sexual dimorphism, how females can benefit by being choosy when selecting a mate, what cues females might use to assess potential mates.
03.26.2018
Hormones & Semiochemicals: Episode 4: Pheromones
Pheromones are semiochemicals that typically communicate within a species for such purposes as territory marking and sexual behavior. Occasionally, they might operate between species, as we'll see in this screencast.
03.19.2018
Hormones & Semiochemicals: Episode 3: Allelochemics
Allelochemics are semiochemicals (i.e., chemicals that have either communicative value or anti-predator benefits) that communicate between different species. Three subclasses of allelochemics are allomones (that benefit the sender), kairomones (that benefit the receiver), and synomones (that benefit both the...
03.12.2018
Hormones & Semiochemicals: Episode 2: Interaction of Hormones & Behavior
The reproductive behavior of ring doves has been investigated thoroughly beginning with the pioneering studies by Daniel S. Lehrman and his associates. His work, which is described here, nicely illustrates how external environmental factors cause the release of hormones,...
03.05.2018
Hormones & Semiochemicals: Episode 1: Activational & Organizational Effects of Hormones
An examination of how how hormones have an immediate (activation) effect and how they have a longer-term (organizational) effect on behavior.
02.26.2018
Domestication: Episode 3: Degeneration vs. Context
What happens to animals during the domestication process? Is their behavioral altered in a way that renders them “abnormal,” or are any observed behavioral changes due to the context in which domestic animals are maintained? The Russian geneticist...
02.20.2018
Domestication: Episode 2: Domestication as a Social Process
Domestication is viewed as one of several social processes involving a "guest" as the exploiting species and a "host" as the exploiting species. Other processes include symbiosis, scavenging, robbing, social parasitism, and taming. Each of these are presented...
02.12.2018
Domestication: Episode 1: Introduction to Domestication
The process of domestication as analogous to natural selection, examples of domesticated animals, including an historical perspective leading back to Darwin. Also, experimental studies of artificial selection, and the steps necessary to create domestic breeds.
02.06.2018
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 10: Development and Evolution
An examination of changes in timing of developmental events over evolutionary time—a phenomenon known as "heterochrony," which covers both accelerated development across evolution as well as neoteny, a slowing down of developmental events.
01.29.2018
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 9: Cultural Evolution
Ways in which cultural evolution can occur and numerous examples in a birds, nonhuman primates, and whales.
01.22.2018
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 8: Hyperselectionism & Exaptation
Here, we explore whether every behavior has necessarily been selected for its current role, or if they were originally selected for a different role. The term “exaptation” helps to distinguish between these alternatives, as we consider a number of...
01.15.2018
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 7: Adaptation
Numerous examples of animal adaptation among a wide variety of species, including the relationship between adaptation and speciation illustrated by Darwin's Finches.
01.10.2018
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 6: Speciation
Examples of ecological speciation, ecological character displacement, and geographic isolation, as mechanisms by which speciation can occur.
01.06.2018
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 5: Rates of Evolution
Is the rate of evolutionary change gradual or rapid? This screencast explores the Darwinian rate of gradualism vs. salvationism, or punctuated equilibrium. The two are not mutually exclusive.
01.01.2018
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 4: Altruism
Examples of altruism and reciprocal altruism, plus mechanisms of kin recognition.
12.26.2017
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 3: Altruism, Cooperation, Hybrids
Examples of altruism, cooperation, kin selection, and animal hybrids.
12.23.2017
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 2: Units of Selection
A discussion about 3 units of natural selection: Individual (Darwinian), Genic, and Group Selection, and how Group Selection is not necessarily inconsistent with Individual Selection.
12.23.2017
Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 1: Evolution Scorecard
Evolution's scorecard in terms of its coverage in schools in the United States. Also, a brief look at how creationism may have played a role in undermining the public's understanding of evolution. Finally, a look at Darwin's "missing...
11.30.2017
Ethological Concepts: Episode 4: Innate & Instinctive Behavior
The distinction between innate and instinctive behavior. Also, an examination of fixed action patterns, consummatory acts, action-specific energy, and Konrad Lorenz’s model of instinctive behavior.
11.21.2017
Ethological Concepts: Episode 3: Behaviors
Examples across a wide range of species of threat displays, courtship displays, distraction displays, appeasement displays, intention movements, vacuum activity, displacement activity, redirected activity, and simultaneous & successive ambivalent behaviors.
11.14.2017
Ethological Concepts: Episode 2: Ritualization
Sir Julian Huxley's concept of ritualization describing 3 mechanisms by which non-communicative behaviors evolve into displays that take on communicative functions.
11.06.2017
Ethological Concepts: Episode 1: Stimuli
Ethograms, sign stimuli, configurational sign stimuli, releasers, supernormal stimuli, and innate releasing mechanisms.
10.31.2017
Contemporary Issues: Episode 7: Animal Welfare & Animal Rights
An examination of animal welfare and animal rights, including regulations, alternatives, and illegal activities by extremists.

What's Animal Behavior Screencasts about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Animal Behavior Screencasts episodes:

Development: Episode 9: Early Experience (FINAL EPISODE IN THIS SERIES)

Development: Episode 8: Reformulation of Imprinting

Development: Episode 6: Critical Periods

Development: Episode 5: Imprinting

Development: Episode 4: Behavioral Embryology

Communication: Episode 16: Ape Language Controversy

Communication: Episode 15: Other Senses

Communication: Episode 14: Tactile

Communication: Episode 13: Olfaction

Communication: Episode 12: Vocal Imitation

Communication: Episode 11: Song Complexity

Communication: Episode 10: Methods of Studying Bird Song

Communication: Episode 9: Bird Song Complexity, Mechanisms, and Development

Communication: Episode 8: Sonic & Symbolic Communication

Communication: Episode 7: Ultrasounds & Infrasounds

Communication: Episode 6: Infrared & Ultraviolet Communication

Communication: Episode 5: Bioluminescence

Communication: Episode 4: Visual Communication

Communication: Episode 3: Localization

Communication: Episode 2: Physical Aspects

Communication: Episode 1: Definition & Neuronal Mechanisms

Mating Behavior: Episode 7: Mating Systems

Mating Behavior: Episode 6: Breeding Synchrony

Mating Behavior: Episode 5: Speciation

Mating Behavior: Episode 4: Inbreeding

Mating Behavior: Episode 3: Female Choice of Mate

Mating Behavior: Episode 2: Male Dominance

Mating Behavior: Episode 1: Sexual Selection

Hormones & Semiochemicals: Episode 4: Pheromones

Hormones & Semiochemicals: Episode 3: Allelochemics

Hormones & Semiochemicals: Episode 2: Interaction of Hormones & Behavior

Hormones & Semiochemicals: Episode 1: Activational & Organizational Effects of Hormones

Domestication: Episode 3: Degeneration vs. Context

Domestication: Episode 2: Domestication as a Social Process

Domestication: Episode 1: Introduction to Domestication

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 10: Development and Evolution

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 9: Cultural Evolution

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 8: Hyperselectionism & Exaptation

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 7: Adaptation

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 6: Speciation

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 5: Rates of Evolution

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 4: Altruism

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 3: Altruism, Cooperation, Hybrids

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 2: Units of Selection

Evolution & Adaptation: Episode 1: Evolution Scorecard

Ethological Concepts: Episode 4: Innate & Instinctive Behavior

Ethological Concepts: Episode 3: Behaviors

Ethological Concepts: Episode 2: Ritualization

Ethological Concepts: Episode 1: Stimuli

Contemporary Issues: Episode 7: Animal Welfare & Animal Rights