Control in living systems : an exploration of the cybernetic properties of interactive behaviour

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dc.contributor.authorBell, Heather C.
dc.contributor.authorUniversity of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
dc.contributor.supervisorPellis, Sergio M.
dc.date.accessioned2014-10-30T16:53:11Z
dc.date.available2014-10-30T16:53:11Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.degree.levelPh.Den_US
dc.degree.levelPhD
dc.descriptionxii, 127 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm
dc.description.abstractMany types of animal behaviour, especially seemingly complex social interactions, have been attributed to the existence of complex cognitive mechanisms, underpinned by stimulus-response (S-R) rules. Indeed, as speci c behaviours are analyzed in greater and greater detail, the increasing number of minor variations observed, even under tightly-controlled experimental conditions, seem to necessitate the operation of increasingly powerful computational devices. An alternate view, inspired by cybernetic theory, is that what is important is not the speci c behaviours used by animals, but the goal of the organism in a particular context. In this thesis, a closed-loop cybernetic methodology for understanding behaviour is developed and implemented. Evidence is presented that, not only do at least some behaviours of animals function like engineered control systems, but also that this type of architecture is widespread in phylogenetic terms, relatively robust to interference, and able to be arti cially reproduced. Implications for the study of the behaviour of all organisms are discussed.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/3592
dc.language.isoen_CAen_US
dc.proquestyesNoen_US
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Neuroscienceen_US
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Neuroscienceen_US
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Scienceen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)en_US
dc.subjectbehavioural variabilityen_US
dc.subjectcybernetic modelen_US
dc.subjectrobbing and dodgingen_US
dc.subjectanimal behaviouren_US
dc.subjectDecision making in animals -- Research
dc.subjectMotivation in animals -- Research
dc.subjectCybernetics
dc.subjectLearning, Psychology of
dc.titleControl in living systems : an exploration of the cybernetic properties of interactive behaviouren_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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