What is neuroethology?
Q: What is neuroethology?
A: Neuroethology is the study of animal behavior and its control by the nervous system.
Q: What does neuroethology explore?
A: Neuroethology explores how the brain links stimuli (e.g. sights, sounds, or smells) to behavior.
Q: Can you give an example of a special ability some animals have that neuroethologists may study?
A: Yes, many bats and Odontoceti have a special ability called echolocation that researchers study their auditory system to show how sounds can be changed into a neural representation of sound.
Q: What is the focus of neuroethology?
A: The focus of neuroethology is natural behavior, which was created by natural selection (e.g., finding mates, moving, avoiding enemies).
Q: What is the difference between neurobiology and ethology?
A: Neurobiology is the study of the nervous system, while ethology is the study of behavior in nature.
Q: Who are neuroethologists?
A: Neuroethologists are scientists who study neuroethology and try to discover how the nervous system works. They often use animals with special behaviors in their research.
Q: Does neuroethology study artificial behaviors?
A: No, neuroethology avoids artificial behaviors like those in lab experiments and focusses on natural behavior.
