"Social Behaviour in Animals With Special Reference to Vertebrates" 1965 Tinbergen, N.

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TINBERGEN, N.

[150] pp.

The Scientific Book Club

1965

Second Edition

7 1/2" x 5"

Social Behaviour in Animals: With … Read more TINBERGEN, N.

[150] pp.

The Scientific Book Club

1965

Second Edition

7 1/2" x 5"

Social Behaviour in Animals: With Special Reference to Vertebrates is a classic 1953 book by Nobel laureate Nikolaas Tinbergen that presents a biological approach to animal social behavior. It examines topics like mating, fighting, and family life, drawing on the author's own studies of insects, fish, and birds, and is considered a foundational text in ethology. The book emphasizes the importance of observing animal behavior in nature and analyzing its function, causation, and evolution.

Key aspects of the book

Biological approach: The book advocates for a biological perspective on social behavior, focusing on careful observation and analysis.

Core concepts: It explores a wide range of social behaviors, including mating, fighting, family and group life, and social organization.

Methodology: Tinbergen emphasizes a balanced study of three key biological problems: the function (survival value), causation, and evolution of behavior.

Scope: The book uses a broad definition of "community" to include all types of animal associations, from pairs and families to flocks and herds.

Influence: It is considered a classic and influential work that helped establish the field of ethology.

Author: Nikolaas Tinbergen was a Dutch-British ornithologist and ethologist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1973 for his work on animal behavior. See less