Overview: Expanding an animal's self-world to include conspecifics

Area of Science:

• Ethology
• Animal Behavior
• Biosemiotics

Background:

• J. von Uexküll's "Umwelt" concept offers a framework for understanding animal perception and environment.
• Previous research in animal communication has not fully explored the implications of the Umwelt concept.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-examine J. von Uexküll's Umwelt concept for insights into animal communication.
• To highlight unanswered questions in animal behavior by applying the Umwelt concept.
• To explore how individual, social, and ontogenetic contexts influence animal communication.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of J. von Uexküll's original writings.
• Literature review of contemporary research on animal communication.
• Application of the Umwelt concept to behavioral studies.

Main Results:

• The Umwelt concept provides a valuable lens for identifying gaps in current animal communication research.
• Researchers are expanding on Uexküll's ideas by considering contextual influences on communication.
• Individual, social, and ontogenetic factors significantly shape animal communication within their respective Umwelten.

Conclusions:

• Revisiting the Umwelt concept enhances our understanding of animal communication.
• Further application of the Umwelt framework can advance the study of animal behavior.
• Contextual factors are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of animal communication systems.