Neural networks and animal behavior /

How can we make better sense of animal behavior by using what we know about the brain? This is the first book that attempts to answer this important question by applying neural network theory. Scientists create Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to make models of the brain. These networks mimic the a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Enquist, Magnus
Corporate Authors: De Gruyter.
Group Author: Ghirlanda, Stefano
Published: Princeton University Press,
Publisher Address: Princeton, N.J. :
Publication Dates: [2005]
©2005
Literature type: eBook
Language: English
Series: Monographs in behavior and ecology
Subjects:
Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9781400850785
http://www.degruyter.com/doc/cover/9781400850785.jpg
Summary: How can we make better sense of animal behavior by using what we know about the brain? This is the first book that attempts to answer this important question by applying neural network theory. Scientists create Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to make models of the brain. These networks mimic the architecture of a nervous system by connecting elementary neuron-like units into networks in which they stimulate or inhibit each other's activity in much the same way neurons do. This book shows how scientists can employ ANNs to analyze animal behavior, explore the general principles of the nervous systems, and test potential generalizations among species. The authors focus on simple neural networks to show how ANNs can be investigated by math and by computers. They demonstrate intuitive concepts that make the operation of neural networks more accessible to nonspecialists. The first chapter introduces various approaches to animal behavior and provides an informal introduction to neural networks, their history, and their potential advantages. The second chapter reviews artificial neural networks, including biological foundations, techniques, and applications. The following three chapters apply neural networks to such topics as learning and development, classical instrumental condition, and the role of genes in building brain networks. The book concludes by comparing neural networks to other approaches. It will appeal to students of animal behavior in many disciplines. It will also interest neurobiologists, cognitive scientists, and those from other fields who wish to learn more about animal behavior.
Carrier Form: 1 online resource(224pages) : illustrations.
ISBN: 9781400850785
Index Number: QL751
CLC: Q42
Contents: Frontmatter --
Contents --
Preface --
Chapter One. Understanding Animal Behavior --
Chapter Two. Fundamentals of Neural Network Models --
Chapter Three. Mechanisms of Behavior --
Chapter Four. Learning and Ontogeny --
Chapter Five. Evolution --
Chapter Six. Conclusions --
Bibliography --
Index.