CBH 6056 Room: Mech. Eng. Aerospace 327

Comparative Psychology Thursdays, Periods 9-11

Dr. Dewsbury 4:05-7:05 P.M.

SYLLABUS

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Textbooks:

Alcock, J. (2001). Animal behavior: An evolutionary approach (7^th ed.). Sunderland, MA: Sinauer.

Hauser, M. D. (2000). Wild Minds: What animals really think. New York: Owl Books/ Henry Holt.

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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

PERIOD DATE GENERAL TOPIC

1	Aug. 26	Organization
2	Sep. 02	History
3	Sep. 09	Evolution
4	Sep. 16	Behavior Genetics
5	Sep. 23	Development
6	Sep. 30	Learning
7	Oct. 07	Individual behavior
8	Oct. 14	Reproductive behavior
9	Oct. 21	Social behavior
10	Oct. 28	Communication
11	Nov. 04	Cognition I: Language &Recognition
X	Nov. 11	VETERAN'S DAY
12	Nov. 18	Cognition II: Problem Solving
X	Nov. 25	THANKSGIVING
13	Dec. 02	Cognition III: Mind;Animals & Humans

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GENERAL PHILOSOPHY OF COURSE

My goal is to provide a solid, graduate-level introduction to the field of comparative psychology as it exists today. With just 13 periods, we cannot do a complete coverage of the field. Rather, the course will deal with selected major topics. I plan to treat students as adults and to organize the course as a blend between lecture and seminar formats.

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FORMAT

I have outlined a proposed format below. I am willing to reconsider specific aspects of this format if we become unsatisfied with progress and there are good alternatives proposed.

Because this is an advanced graduate level course, I will try to run it in an adult fashion. I will ask you to invest time in reading and thinking about material, rather than writing papers or studying for tests. If this is successful, we will have no exams and no papers.

Classes will include a mix of lecture, audio-visual material, presentation of readings by students, and discussion. The exact mix will vary from class to class, depending on the topic. Each week all students will read a core article or articles from the literature plus selected chapters from the textbooks. In addition, each student will read one or more articles, depending on length, from the literature arranged so that typically 1-3 students in the class have read that article, depending on class size; the ideal number is two. If two or more students are assigned to each reading, there will be one assigned as a "primary" presenter to present the material to the class and one or more as "secondary" discussants responsible for reacting to the presentation and initiating discussion. These latter materials will be covered in a seminar format with student presentations and extensive discussion.

The week preceding each class I will prepare a list of individual readings for that class. On some occasions there will be a set of two or more short articles in lieu of one long one. At the beginning of each class we will divide up the readings for presentation. Everyone will read at least one specific reading. I want to limit the number of readings covered each class to keep the reading reasonable and to allow enough time for discussion.

The in-class format may vary with the material. Typically, I will lecture during the first part. In the later, seminar, portion of each class we will begin by discussing the general reading. Each of the specific readings will be presented by a student in the course and opened for discussion.

I will try to choose general readings that are available on-line. If the best material is not available on-line, I will place a copy of the general reading in the secretary's office on the 3rd floor of the Psychology Building the week before each class. You will be responsible for locating the individual readings. I can probably help if you have a problem-- but only if you try to locate the article well in advance of the class. I will try to bring copies of most of the individual readings to my office the week before class. I will typically bring them home early in the week before each class so that I can re-read them. I suggest that you try to secure the class materials early-- even if you will not read them until the night before class.

I suggest that, prior to each class, by 1:00 P.M. on the day of class, each student would turn in a set of reactions and/or questions concerning the textbook readings and/or core reading, and specific reading assigned. This would help ensure that all read the material and provide some basis for discussion. Any handouts related to the individual readings would be welcome. These can be turned in to my mailbox in the Psychology building or to me in my office.

Readings

The Alcock book is a very popular, general textbook in animal behavior. Written by a zoologist, rather than a psychologist, there are some areas that are emphasized more or less than I would like for our purposes. I will skip a few chapters and cover some topics not included in the book.

Hauser presents a fairly balanced position regarding cognitive ethology and consciousness as compared to others in the field. Animal cognition is an important part of comparative psychology today. We will also be able to revisit some of the topics covered earlier in the course from his perspective and to discuss his views.

I will try to find a good general reading each week and to add appropriate individual readings.

Preparations and Grading

The following is subject to negotiation. I would like to treat this as a mature, graduate-level seminar as much as possible. Grades would be determined primarily by written material, class attendance, presentations, and class participation.

In the past I have found that, on some occasions, as the crunch develops late in the semester, the reading assignments are not always completed. This is fatal in a class with a heavy component of discussion. If this happens, I reserve the right to institute some means of checking that the reading is done, such as quizzes or summaries of the readings. I prefer not to have to do this.

Topics to be covered

The list of topics to be covered can be seen on page 1 of this syllabus. It would be awkward, but I may be willing to alter this to a limited degree if there is general sentiment for a revision. I have tried to provide a broad treatment of issues in comparative psychology but it is impossible to be complete in the number of classes available. Among the topics I have had to exclude are feeding and predation, applied animal behavior,, individual behavioral patterns (e.g., sleep, biorhythms), methods of study, comparative psychology of humans, and physiological bases of behavior. Rather than have a whole session on humans, I will try to work material on humans into as many classes as possible.

Locating me

My office is 357 Psychology. My telephone number is 392-0601 x279 and I frequently check e-mail (dewsbury@ufl.edu). I am on campus for at least part of most days, but I will try to keep Monday and Thursday 1:15-2:15 as formal office hours. Changes will be announced in class. _________________________________________________________________

READING ASSIGNMENTS

(As developed thus far)

Here I provide a list of readings for the first class and the textbook readings for the semester.

Class 02: History of Comparative Psychology

Core Readings

Alcock Chapter 1

Dewsbury, D. A. (1989). A brief history of the study of animal behavior in North America. In P. P. G. Bateson & P. H. Klopfer (Eds.) Perspectives in ethology Vol. 8. (pp. 85-122). New York: Plenum.

Individual Readings

Comparative Psychology

1. Dewsbury, D. A. (1992). Triumph and tribulation in the history of American comparative psychology. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 106, 3-19.

2. Watson, J. B. (1912). Instinctive activity in animals. Harper's Magazine, 124, 376-382.

3. Lashley, K. S. (1938). Experimental analysis of instinctive behavior. Psychological Review, 45, 445-471.

4. Beach, F. A. (1950). The snark was a boojum. American Psychologist, 5, 115-124.

5. Lockard, R. B. (1971). Reflections on the fall of comparative psychology: Is there a message for us all? American Psychologist, 26, 168-179.

Ethology

6. Hess, E. H. (1962). Ethology: An approach toward the complete analysis of behavior. In R. Brown, E. Galanter, E. H. Hess, and G. Mandler. New directions in psychology v. 1 (pp. 159-199 only). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

7. Tinbergen, N. (1963). On aims and methods of ethology. Zeitschrift für Tierpsychology, 20, 410-433.

8. Lehrman, D. S. (1953). A critique of Konrad Lorenz’s theory of instinctive behavior. Quarterly Review of Biology, 28, 337-363.

Interactions

9. Dewsbury, D. A. (1992). Comparative psychology and ethology: A reassessment. American Psychologist, 47, 208-215.

Summary of Textbook Reading Assignments

Class	Date	Topic	Chapter
			Alcock	Hauser
1	Aug. 26	Organization
2	Sep. 02	History	1
3	Sep. 09	Evolution	2
4	Sep. 16	Behavior Genetics	3
5	Sep. 23	Development	4
6	Sep. 30	Learning
7	Oct. 07	Individual behavior	7,8
8	Oct. 14	Reproductive behavior	11
9	Oct. 21	Social behavior	14
10	Oct. 28	Communication	10
11	Nov. 04	Cognition I: Language &Recognition		1,5, 8
X	Nov. 11	VETERAN'S DAY
12	Nov. 18	Cognition II: Problem Solving		2,3,4,6,
X	Nov. 25	THANKSGIVING
13	Dec. 02	Cognition III: Mind;Animals & Humans	15	7, 9,10