Animal Psychology
Animal psychology is the scientific study of animal behavior and cognition. It is a combination of behavioral science, cognitive psychology, ethology, evolution, neurobiology and physiology. Animal psychologists are interested in understanding the purpose and motivation behind specific behaviors as well as how animals learn to respond to their environment. This field has applications in both research settings such as zoos or laboratories, but also in practical settings such as veterinary medicine and animal training.
At its core, animal psychology focuses on understanding behavior by examining the internal and external influences that shape it; these influences include genetics (e.g., breed), environmental factors (e.g., diet), socialization experiences (e.g., living with humans versus other animals) and individual learning history (e.g., reinforcement). The goal of this research is to uncover general principles about how animals think, feel and behave so that we can better understand them from an evolutionary perspective or gain insight into human behavior by studying our closest relatives—non-human primates like chimpanzees or gorillas—in captivity or freely living in their natural habitats .
Research techniques employed by animal psychologists differ depending on species studied; for example some studies use surveys while others measure hormone levels using blood samples taken from wild animals using dart guns fired remotely via radio collar devices attached to individuals’ necks while they roam freely over large areas of land . In addition , observing behaviors directly either through video recordings made during experiments set up within enclosures or naturally occurring interactions among members of a group is another popular method used when studying social dynamics within species such as wolves , horses , dolphins etc . Regardless which technique used however all have one common aim : To provide us with greater insights into why certain traits evolved at different stages throughout history & what implications this then had on future generations surrounding topics related to survival & reproduction .