Animal Experimental & Comparative Psychology

Animal experimental and comparative psychology studies the behaviour and cognition of non-human animals and compares species to illuminate general principles.

Scope

It covers learning and conditioning, instinct and ethology, animal cognition, and the comparative and evolutionary analysis of behaviour.

Sub-topics

• Learning & Motivation
• Social & Instinctive Behavior

Core questions

• How do animals learn?
• What is instinctive versus learned behaviour?
• What can animals tell us about general laws of behaviour?
• How does cognition vary across species?

Key concepts

• Classical conditioning
• Law of effect
• Instinct
• Ethology
• Animal cognition
• Comparative method

Key theories

Law of effect

Thorndike's experiments established that behaviours followed by satisfying consequences are strengthened.

Classical conditioning

Pavlov demonstrated conditioned reflexes, foundational for learning theory.

Ethology

Tinbergen and Lorenz founded the biological study of instinct and its four questions (causation, development, function, evolution).

History

From Thorndike's puzzle boxes and Pavlov's conditioning through behaviourist learning research and Tinbergen and Lorenz's ethology, the field now spans animal cognition and behavioural neuroscience.

Debates

Learning versus instinct

The relative roles of conditioning and innate, species-typical behaviour in shaping animal action.

Key figures

• Edward Thorndike
• Ivan Pavlov
• Niko Tinbergen

Seminal works

• thorndike-1911
• pavlov-1927
• tinbergen-1951

Frequently asked questions

What is comparative psychology?

The study of the behaviour and mental processes of non-human animals, often comparing species to understand general and evolutionary principles.