On aims and methods in field neuroethology: Investigating neural mechanisms of behavior in semi-natural and natural...

Traditional laboratory assays are limited in capturing the full range of evolved brain function, particularly in the domain of social behavior. While laboratory approaches offer control and causal precision, they constrain how animals interact through artificial groupings and the elimination of sociospatial structure. Here, we outline an emerging complementary approach-field neuroethology-which investigates neural mechanisms of behavior and their socioecological consequences in organisms living within semi-natural or natural contexts. We define its aims, highlight promising domains for its application, and note the technical innovations enabling its practice. Rather than framing field neuroethology in opposition to laboratory studies, we emphasize its potential to broaden the questions we can ask about neurobehavioral relationships-particularly those related to ecological validity and real-world fitness outcomes. Field neuroethology is not a replacement for traditional approaches, but rather an expansion of the experimental toolkit for investigating neurobehavioral functions expressed only in dynamic socioecological contexts.