Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2025

05:21
Author Spotlight: Training of Laboratory Animals for Gentle and Stress-Free Handling
Published on: February 16, 2024
2.6K
Beyond the Instinct Debate: Daniel Lehrman's Contributions to Animal Behavior Studies
1Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, University of Toronto, 91 Charles St. West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1K7, Canada. marga.vicedo@utoronto.ca.
Journal of the History of Biology
|February 15, 2023
Summary
Daniel S. Lehrman
Area of Science:
- Ethology
- Animal Behavior
- History of Science
Background:
- Daniel S. Lehrman is known for his critique of early ethology.
- His broader contributions to animal behavior studies remain under-examined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive account of Daniel S. Lehrman's scientific work.
- To explore his influence beyond his critique of ethology.
Main Methods:
- Situating Lehrman's debate within his scholarly development.
- Examining his research on ring-doves and epistemological views.
- Highlighting his role in interdisciplinary network-building.
Main Results:
- Lehrman's work extended beyond his critique of Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen.
- His research on ring-doves and epistemological stance significantly impacted animal behavior studies.
- He was instrumental in fostering interdisciplinary approaches in science.
Conclusions:
- Daniel S. Lehrman's legacy encompasses significant contributions to ethology, endocrinology, and developmental biology.
- A fuller understanding of his work reveals his impact on the evolution of multiple scientific fields.
Related Concept Videos
Behaviorism
2.4K
The field of behaviorism was pioneered by figures such as Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B.F. Skinner fundamentally shifted the focus of psychology to the observable and controllable aspects of human and animal behavior. This shift marked a critical evolution in the discipline, emphasizing scientific rigor and experimental methodology.
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
2.4K
What is Behavior?
9.2K
Behaviors are actions that an organism engages in—they can be related to finding food, reproducing, defending against threats, and many other possible actions. Behaviors include activities related to the environment around the animal—such as migration—as well as social interactions within a species or population. Many behaviors involve motor output—that is, muscle movements—while others involve less visible actions, such as learning.
9.2K
Cognitive Learning
468
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
468
Law of Effect
1.5K
B.F. Skinner, a prominent figure in behavioral psychology, introduced operant conditioning by emphasizing the role of consequences in shaping behavior. This theory builds upon the law of effect proposed by Edward Thorndike, which posits that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are likely to be repeated. In contrast, those followed by unsatisfying outcomes are less likely to recur.
Edward Thorndike's foundational work involved studying learning in animals, particularly using puzzle...
Edward Thorndike's foundational work involved studying learning in animals, particularly using puzzle...
1.5K
Instinctive Drift
272
Instinctive drift refers to the tendency of animals to revert to their innate behaviors despite repeated reinforcement. Breland and Breland demonstrated this concept in an experiment with a raccoon. The raccoon was trained to pick up two coins and place them in a container in exchange for food. Initially, the raccoon learned to associate the coins with food, making them a conditioned stimulus or a substitute for food. However, over time, the raccoon became less willing to put the coins into the...
272
Social Loafing
34.9K
Another way in which a group presence can affect performance is social loafing—the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a group. Social loafing occurs when our individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. Thus, group performance declines on easy tasks (Karau & Williams, 1993). Essentially individual group members loaf and let other group members pick up the slack. Because each individual’s efforts cannot be evaluated,...
34.9K

