Description
Book SynopsisHow can we make better sense of animal behavior by using what we know about the brain? This book attempts to answer this question by applying neural network theory. It shows how scientists can employ ANNs to analyze animal behavior, explores the general principles of the nervous systems, and tests potential generalizations among species.
Trade Review"Neural Networks and Animal Behavior will interest students of animal behavior, cognitive scientists, engineers, and anyone working with neural networks. In a real way, this book is a bridge across the disciplines, constructing connections between animal behavior theories to other modes of understanding."--Biology Digest "This is a timely contribution to the field that should mark a turning point in the use of neural networks in animal behavior research."--Richard Peters, Animal Behaviour
Table of ContentsPreface vii Chapter 1. Understanding Animal Behavior 1 1.1 The causes of behavior 2 1.2 A framework for models of behavior 4 1.3 The structure of behavior models 7 1.4 Neural network models 18 Chapter 2. Fundamentals of Neural Network Models 31 2.1 Network nodes 31 2.2 Network architectures 39 2.3 Achieving specific input-output mappings 45 2.4 Organizing networks without specific guidance 57 2.5 Working with your own models 58 Chapter 3. Mechanisms of Behavior 67 3.1 Analysis of behavior systems 67 3.2 Building neural network models 70 3.3 Reactions to stimuli 75 3.4 Sensory processing 89 3.5 Temporal patterns 96 3.6 Many sources of information and messy information 99 3.7 Central mechanisms of decision making 100 3.8 Motor control 115 3.9 Consequences of damage to nervous systems 123 Chapter 4. Learning and Ontogeny 129 4.1 What are learning and ontogeny? 129 4.2 General aspects of learning 130 4.3 Network models of general learning phenomena 141 4.4 Behaviorally silent learning 151 4.5 Comparison with animal learning theory 155 4.6 Training animals versus training networks 159 4.7 Ontogeny 160 4.8 Conclusions 170 Chapter 5. Evolution 173 5.1 The evolution of behavior systems 173 5.2 Requirements for evolving behavior mechanisms 175 5.3 The material basis of behavioral evolution 178 5.4 Exploring evolution with neural network models 186 5.5 Conclusions 202 Chapter 6. Conclusions 205 6.1 Are neural networks good models of behavior? 205 6.2 Do we use too simple network models? 208 6.3 Comparisons with other models 208 6.4 Neural networks and animal cognition 210 6.5 Final words 218 Bibliography 219 Index 249
