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Predation risk strongly influences the ecology and evolution of animal behaviors. However, anti-predator responses differ among species. Tradeoffs between anti-predator abilities and foraging efficiencies across habitats can promote the coexistence of ecologically similar species. In general, larger animals may better exploit riskier habitats; smaller animals, resources at low densities. I studied two montane ground squirrels Spermophilus lateralis and Tamias minimus in Colorado. Using food trays, I determined that the smaller T. minimus foraged more efficiently near meadow edges and was competitively superior to S. lateralis there. In contrast, S. lateralis had no preference for either edge or far habitat, but was competitively superior to T. minimus farther from the edge. I predicted, correctly, the exclusion of S. lateralis from meadows with primarily edge habitat. I proposed three alternatives to explain the observed patterns of habitat use: satiation, travel cost, or perceived predation risk. In a series of manipulations of energetic costs, protective cover, and predators, I eliminated all but the predation risk hypothesis. S. lateralis perceives less risk farther from the edge of the meadow than T. minimus. Faster harvesting and running speeds might decrease perceived predation risk. S. lateralis and T. minimus both experienced diminishing returns while foraging in food trays. Due to a higher encounter rate, S. lateralis harvested seeds significantly faster than T. minimus. S. lateralis also ran faster than T. minimus (3.14 m/s and 2.13 m/s, respectively). Gregarious animals may detect predators before solitary ones. I suggest that due to differences between sensory modes, this advantage occrues only to animals using vision. Thus, I predicted that gregariousness as a predator detection strategy should evolve only in diurnal animals. To test this, I mapped diurnal activity and gregarious behavior onto a phylogeny of eutherian mammals, and than calculated their degree of association. I found strong support for my prediction. This pattern may occur in other mobile animals. The data also suggest an association between larger body size and open habitat use among diurnal, gregarious organisms, paralleling a result from Colorado ground squirrels.

The following thesis offers a philosophical critique of sociobiology, which is identified as a recent attempt to produce a general theory of animal behaviour, encompassing an account of human nature. The first chapter examines the empirical and theoretical foundations of sociobiology, highlighting some of the philosophical topics regarding the relation of the natural and social sciences, and the attempt to offer an account of human nature within a largely mathematical and mechanistic theoretical framework. Chapter two looks at the major specific areas of human behaviour featured in sociobiological accounts. A close examination of empirical evidence, underlying theoretical assumptions, behavioural categories and definitions, and finally deduced conclusions reveals several weaknesses and examples of fallacious reasoning. The third chapter continues to examine the account of human nature in relation to the broadest and most abstract features of social structures and interactions. The political dimension of sociobiology is examined - both in terms of its account of political behaviour, and in the theoretical opposition between sociobiology and left wing ideologies. The sociobiological account of religious behaviour is rejected in favour of one couched in terms of social rather than genetically heritable dispositions. Chapter four evaluates the attempt to respond to early criticisms of sociobiology. It is argued that the main theoretical stance regarding human behaviour remains little changed, and that the new theoretical models create even more conceptual problems, thus failing to provide a framework for an account of human nature. The final chapter applies some ideas from evolutionary theory to specific areas of philosophical controversy: the relation of mind to language; the ascription of mental life to other species; functionalist and epiphenomenaiist accounts of consciousness. It is argued that empirical and theoretical considerations from the natural sciences may thus inform traditional areas of philosophical debate, creating useful interdisciplinary dialogues.

Family leisure is conceptualized as engagement and satisfaction with experiences that involve joint participation in activities with other family members during one’s free time. Although family leisure has been linked to family functioning, the process by which family leisure contributes to family functioning, particularly in the context of leisure constraints, has yet to be explicated. Guided by theory, this study examined the relationships between leisure constraints and family functioning of United States Army personnel who have recently experienced deployments and evaluated the role of family leisure between these relationships. Two theoretically competing models were empirically tested to determine whether family leisure mediated or moderated the relationships between leisure constraints and family functioning. Leisure constraints were conceptualized as factors that inhibit a person’s ability to engage in leisure or derive satisfaction from leisure; these leisure constraints fall under one of three domains: structural constraints, interpersonal constraints, and intrapersonal constraints. For this study, relevant leisure constraints for United States Army personnel were identified. Structural constraints were defined as tangible, contextual factors that influence a person’s ability to function effectively in a leisure setting; perceptions of financial management were identified as a salient structural constraint for this population. Interpersonal constraints were defined as relationship factors that inhibit a person’s ability to function in a leisure setting; relationship warmth was identified as a salient interpersonal constraint for this population. Intrapersonal constraints were defined as perceptions of personal or internal processes that inhibit a person’s ability to function in a leisure setting; coping with the military lifestyle was identified as a salient intrapersonal constraint for this population. Family functioning was measured as a latent concept that included dimensions of family flexibility and family communication, both of which have been identified by the military as vital components to creating military family readiness. The construct of family leisure encompassed aspects of leisure engagement and leisure satisfaction. The first model was theoretically derived from leisure constraint theory and examined whether family leisure served as a mediating influence between leisure constraints and family functioning. The second model, theoretically derived from effort recovery theory, evaluated family leisure as a moderating influence between the variables of interest, leisure constraints and family functioning. The study sample consisted of 222 active duty United States Army personnel stationed in the continental United States, who were in a committed romantic relationship for at least two years, and had at least one adolescent child between the ages of 11 and 18. Studying military members who have significant others and adolescent children is important as the military operating environment is one characterized by high rates of transition and instability that can have a significant influence on informal networks, namely familial relationships. Family relationships are highly correlated with military family readiness, the ability of the family to effectively respond to military needs. Results indicated that family leisure fit best as a mediator and did not fit as well as a moderator for this sample of military members. More specifically, family leisure partially mediated the relationships between the leisure constraint variables of interest and family functioning. The leisure constraints of financial management and relationship warmth were significantly associated with family functioning. However, the direct relationship between military coping and family functioning was non-significant. For the indirect relationships, all leisure constraints were significantly associated with family leisure, and, in turn, family leisure was significantly associated with family functioning. This model fit similarly when accounting for the depressive symptomology of the active duty service member. In the competing model, no moderating effects were found for the study variables of interest. Results from this study can be used by service providers and policy makers who can advocate for family leisure as a leverage point for promoting healthy military families post-deployment. Practical applications include disseminating information to military families about leisure resources to provide families with new avenues to promote positive family functioning. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2017. / June 13, 2017. / active duty U.S. Army personnel, deployment, family functioning, family leisure, leisure constraints, military family readiness / Includes bibliographical references. / Mallory Lucier-Greer, Professor Directing Dissertation; Thomas Joiner, University Representative; Kendal Holtrop, Committee Member; Lenore McWey, Committee Member.

Previous research into people's perceptions of animals suggests that people view animals most favorably when they perceive them as being mentally like humans. This thesis examined whether animals perceived as threatening are still seen to be mentally similar to humans, but more likely to experience mental states associated with anger and aggression. Using three separate measures of people's perceptions of animals, including one designed for this study, it was found that participants did indeed view the mental lives of animals differently when those animals were perceived to be threatening. Examination of the effect of the animal chosen showed that some animals are inherently seen as more threatening and less-human like. The implications of these findings for animal conservation efforts, reduction of human-animal conflict, and anthropomorphism in the study of animal cognition were discussed. / by Lauren N. Maurer. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 200?. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Ph.D. Thesis, 33 l. / Basic thesis: the behavior of any animal is the result of his drives to action and the opposing resistance.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 232-242).

The attributes of landscapes, abiotic and biotic, influence the behaviour of animals. Understanding the reciprocal effects between the landscape, habitats and the animals are an essential tool in sustainable management of natural resources as well as conservation. A source of information about how the environment shapes the behaviour of animals is movement data. The advent of cheap GPS devices has facilitated data collection. The fine scale spatio-temporal resolution allows the identification of complete home-ranges, even habitat that is only transiently used. Fine-scale movement data can also be used as proxy for behaviour-types; different behaviour states cause different movement tracks. I test, extend and apply the multi-change point analysis (MCPA), developed by Gurarie et al. (2009) for the identification of behavioural change points in irregular movement data. The method relies on conventional time-series analysis methods, rather than a Bayesian framework, such as the state space models. After thorough testing of the MCPA, we apply the method and its extension to the GPS data of four red deer and 27 golden eagles. The red deer data were analysed to detect behavioural changes at a seasonal scale and to serve as a test-bed for our extension of the MCPA. The comparison of movement bouts revealed that the expression of behaviour was on a gradient rather than the discreet states. The study of the golden eagle data highlighted the necessity to choose the appropriate sampling regime of movement. If the intervals between the location-fixes are too big, valuable information about important small scale behaviour will be missed.