Behavioral Research Blog

A high-throughput method to screen natural behavior of mice

Traditional standard tests with rats or mice are carried out immediately after human interference. Therefore, the behavior of the animals may not be natural and spontaneous.

Making sense of the senses: The real cost of paying attention

We live in a demanding world: the snort of an email, the squeal of a text, fare alerts, breaking news, SQUIRREL! What was I saying? Oh yes, we live in a distracted world.

Anxiety is ancient – how crayfish resemble vertebrates

Fear is something we all know. It changes our behavior: we freeze, try to escape, or respond with aggression. Fear can also cause anxiety, which is a more complex phenomenon.

Inhibitory avoidance learning in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is increasingly being used as model in behavioural, neurobiological and genetic research.

Measuring experiential, behavioral, and physiological outputs

In a romantic relationship, it is undoubtedly important to show support when one’s partner shares his or her accomplishments and positive life events.

Walking the ladder: testing the cellular source of motor functioning in mice

The cerebellum, our “little brain”, is all about motor control; more specifically, it’s about coordination, precision, and timing.

What a horse likes to eat: how to test dietary preferences

Redgate and colleagues looked into the addition of a monadic phase (a phase in which only one food was offered at a time instead of all of the options) to choice testing.

The accuracy of measuring fish aggression by using mirror tests

To examine the response of cichlids to their mirror image, Balzarini et al. used three sympatric species from Lake Tanganyika and did the mirror test for measuring aggression.

The relationship between food scarcity and caching in fox squirrels

We’ve all seen squirrels carrying acorns around in their mouths and burying them in the ground. This is a way to hoard food, and most squirrels use a strategy called scatter-hoarding.

How wild cavies and domesticated guinea pigs differ

Domestication has a considerable effect on the behavior of animals. The dramatic change in their environment and provision of food alter the need for behaviors such as exploration. But what exactly is the difference?

The impact of visitor access in a shelter on the welfare of shelter dogs

If you’ve ever been to a shelter to adopt a dog, you know that when you walk into the holding area, the dogs can get very noisy.

Adolescent Motherhood – observing mother-infant behavior

Adolescent mothers are tackling their transition to adulthood and the transition to parenthood. This is called the double risk for mother and infant, inherent in adolescent motherhood.