Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Bauer, Gordon

Area of Concentration

Biopsychology

Abstract

Stereotypies have been regarded as seemingly functionless, invariant, and abnormally occurring repetitive behaviors. However, it may be unwise to define them as such. These behaviors develop in “abnormal” captive environments compared to environments of wild conspecifics and may serve as “adaptive” behaviors. Stereotypies develop in situations of unavoidable, inescapable levels of stress and frustration. Many derive from normally occurring, highly motivated species-specific behavior patterns which are thwarted within a captive environment. As a result these behaviors take on exaggerated seeming functionless forms as displacement behaviors or stereotypic behaviors. Stereotypies are extremely heterogeneous, and their form, function, and underlying motivations vary. They are extremely resistant and may be highly reinforcing to an animal. While their implications may be vague, they are of welfare concern. It is vital that we create a functional definition of stereotypies before we effectively treat them.

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