Instructor: David Westneat, Office: 104 MDR#3, Telephone: 323-9499, e-mail: biodfw at uky.edu

web page: http://www.as.uky.edu/biology/faculty/Westneat/Personal/Bio375/bio375.html

Textbook: Dugatkin, Principles of Animal Behavior, 2004. Norton Publishing.

Course Description

    This course will explore the selective forces that influence animal behavior, especially foraging, predator avoidance, mate choice, parental care, and social behavior. The study of behavior integrates ideas and approaches from ecology, genetics, physiology, and psychology. Understanding what animals do and why requires one to understand underlying processes rather than simply learning facts. Thus this course emphasizes critical thinking and the scientific process. Students will be encouraged to read outside material, to think carefully, logically, and critically about ideas and to ask questions and defend their views. Students are encouraged to speak up in class and express their questions, opinions, and concerns.

Syllabus

Grading Policies

*Special Darwin Seminars*

Supplemental Readings (For section on Human Sociobiology)

*Please note: These readings are accessible only from a University of Kentucky computer. A home computer will not work unless you set up a proxy ID via UK (contact library staff if you are interested).*

Instructions: Click on the web link button below. This should open Adobe Acrobat and the file with the paper. You can then either read it on screen, save it to disk, or print it out as you prefer. 

Extra Credit: For each paper, turn in a one page summary on the date assigned below. The summary should have one paragraph describing the paper and its results and a second paragraph on your own reaction to the study. I will award 5 pts extra credit for each reading if it is turned in on the assigned day. Because the point of having the extra-credit is that you are prepared to contribute to any discussion we have on that day, there will be no make-up for this.

Reading for Dec. 8:  MHC-correlated perfume preferences

Reading for Dec. 10:  Factors governing moral sentiments regarding incest

• Exercise 1 (key)
• Exercise 2 (key)
• Exercise 3 (key)
• Exercise 4 (key)
• Review for Midterm I
• Exercise 5 (key)
• Exercise 6 (key)
• Exercise 7 (key)
• Exercise 8 (key)
• Exercise 9 (key)
• Exercise 10 (key)
• Review for Midterm II
• Exercise 11 (key)

    These are questions that should review material covered and stimulate you to think more deeply about what we have discussed in class. Many are drawn from previous exams or are somewhat modified from exam questions. Doing them will help your performance! Approximately once each week I will post the question by creating a link below to a page with the question. I encourage you to attempt an answer, and then later I will post a key.

Extra Credit: Reviews

•     Review instructions
•     List of papers to review

World Wide Web: Check this course website for various course postings, which will include the syllabus, answer keys for exams, thought problems/answers for the week, and possibly selected lecture notes.