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animal behavior

·October 2, 2024·4 min read

Dolphins’ “Smile” Reveals Playful Intentions

Bottlenose dolphins use an "open mouth" expression, similar to a smile, during playful interactions with other dolphins. This expression is a signal of fun and playfulness, preventing misunderstandings as aggression.

This shows a painting of a springbok with a tracking collar.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 1, 2024·4 min read

Wildlife Tagging Alters Behavior for Days

A new study reveals that the stress of capturing and tagging wildlife affects their behavior for several days, altering their activity levels and movement patterns. By tracking 1,585 individuals from 42 species fitted with GPS collars, researchers found that predators tended to reduce their activity while herbivores often increased movement post-release.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 20, 2022·5 min read

The First Look at How Rabies Affects Vampire Bat Social Behavior

Male vampire bats infected with rabies socially withdraw, scaling back their social behavior of grooming other bats before they succumb to the disease.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 14, 2021·3 min read

Cats Prefer to Get Free Meals Rather Than Work for Them

Domestic cats choose not a contrafreeload, a behavior where most animals prefer to work for their food.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·December 12, 2019·3 min read

How humans learned to dance; from the Chimpanzee Conga

Studying the evolution of human dance, psychologists discovered chimpanzees also perform duo dance-like behaviors similar to a conga line.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 6, 2018·5 min read

Sequenced Fox Genome Hints at Genetic Basis of Behavior

A new study sheds light on the genetic basis of fox behaviors and, researchers say, the findings could have implications for human behavior. The study reports the SorCS1 gene contributes to social behaviors in foxes.

Featured Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·July 11, 2018·3 min read

Snorts Indicate Positive Emotions in Horses

Researchers report horses tend to snort more when they are in positive emotional situations. The findings suggest snorts are reliable indicators of positive emotions in horses.

a monkey drinking from a soda can on a person's roof

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 18, 2018·4 min read

Are Smarter Animals Bigger Troublemakers?

Researchers examined the role of animal cognition in different types of human-wildlife conflict. The study reveals some animals may take more risks if they habituate urban surroundings.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·December 30, 2016·4 min read

Bat Calls Contain Wealth of Discernible Information

Rather than being born with a fixed set of communication skills, bats learn how to communicate, a new study reports.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 27, 2016·5 min read

Oxytocin Enhances Social Affiliation in Chimps

Oxytocin enhances group affiliation and helps chimps to stand by one another against rivals, a new study reports.

Featured Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·November 23, 2016·4 min read

Your Dog Remembers What You Did

A new study provides evidence that dogs may also have episodic memory.

Image shows a Doberman pinscher dog biting its back.

Featured Genetics Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·February 27, 2016·3 min read

Genetic Cause of Compulsive Behavior in Dogs May Further Understanding of Human OCD

Researchers have identified genetic pathways that exacerbates the severity of compulsive behavior in dogs. The findings could lead to better understanding and treatment of human OCD.