Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Naturalistic Observations02:30

Naturalistic Observations

15.4K
If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
15.4K
The Behavioral Perspective on Personality01:19

The Behavioral Perspective on Personality

323
Behaviorists view personality as primarily shaped by environmental reinforcements and consequences. According to this perspective, behavior is influenced by external stimuli, and individuals adjust their actions based on rewards and punishments. Over time, learning histories — accumulated patterns of reinforcement — play a significant role in shaping personality. Behaviors that lead to positive outcomes are reinforced, while those resulting in negative outcomes are diminished.
323
Instinctive Drift01:05

Instinctive Drift

208
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...
208
Behaviorism01:28

Behaviorism

2.3K
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...
2.3K
What is Behavior?00:54

What is Behavior?

9.0K
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.
9.0K
Behavior Modification01:21

Behavior Modification

142
Behavioral approaches have often been criticized for ignoring mental processes and focusing solely on observable behavior. However, these approaches provide an optimistic perspective for individuals seeking to change their behaviors. Rather than concentrating on intrinsic personality traits, behavioral approaches suggest that even longstanding habits can be modified by changing the reward contingencies that maintain them.
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
142

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Parallel neuronal ensembles control behavior across sensorimotor levels in <i>Drosophila</i>.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the <i>Drosophila</i> male central nervous system.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Molecular gradients shape synaptic specificity of a visuomotor transformation.

Nature·2025
Same author

Shorter-duration escapes driven by <i>Drosophila</i> giant interneurons promote survival during predation.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2025
Same author

Comparative connectomics of Drosophila descending and ascending neurons.

Nature·2025
Same author

Whole-body physics simulation of fruit fly locomotion.

Nature·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2025

Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios
07:43

Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios

Published on: August 4, 2023

1.9K

Neural Control of Naturalistic Behavior Choices.

Samuel K Asinof1,2, Gwyneth M Card3,2

  • 1Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Annual Review of Neuroscience
|May 9, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed reverse neuroethology to study animal decision-making during natural behaviors. This approach uses model organisms and advanced tools to understand neural processes underlying innate choices, like defensive actions in fruit flies.

Keywords:
Drosophilachoicecircuitdecisionescapenatural behaviorneuroethology

More Related Videos

An Automated T-maze Based Apparatus and Protocol for Analyzing Delay- and Effort-based Decision Making in Free Moving Rodents
07:42

An Automated T-maze Based Apparatus and Protocol for Analyzing Delay- and Effort-based Decision Making in Free Moving Rodents

Published on: August 2, 2018

13.6K
A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments
09:43

A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments

Published on: April 15, 2014

10.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 26, 2025

Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios
07:43

Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios

Published on: August 4, 2023

1.9K
An Automated T-maze Based Apparatus and Protocol for Analyzing Delay- and Effort-based Decision Making in Free Moving Rodents
07:42

An Automated T-maze Based Apparatus and Protocol for Analyzing Delay- and Effort-based Decision Making in Free Moving Rodents

Published on: August 2, 2018

13.6K
A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments
09:43

A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments

Published on: April 15, 2014

10.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Ethology
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • Animal decision-making is crucial for survival but often studied in artificial lab settings.
  • Traditional methods limit the investigation of neural mechanisms during naturalistic behaviors.
  • Advances in genetic tools and model organisms enable new approaches to study natural behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and validate the 'reverse neuroethology' approach for studying decision-making.
  • To investigate the neural underpinnings of innate, rapid decision-making in naturalistic contexts.
  • To apply this strategy to understand defensive choices in *Drosophila melanogaster*.

Main Methods:

  • Selecting experimentally accessible model organisms.
  • Utilizing genetic toolkits for neural monitoring and manipulation.
  • Analyzing information flow in the nervous system during naturalistic choice behaviors.
  • Employing connectomics and genetically encoded reagents.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated the feasibility of reverse neuroethology for studying naturalistic decision-making.
  • Provided insights into the neural basis of rapid, innate defensive behaviors in fruit flies.
  • Highlighted the utility of advanced genetic tools in neuroethological research.

Conclusions:

  • Reverse neuroethology offers a powerful framework for bridging the gap between laboratory studies and natural animal behavior.
  • This approach facilitates the understanding of neural mechanisms underlying complex decision-making processes.
  • The study underscores the importance of model organisms and cutting-edge technologies in advancing neuroethological research.