Information Theory Opens New Dimensions in Experimental Studies of Animal Behaviour and Communication
Over the last 40–50 years, ethology has become increasingly quantitative and computational. However, when analysing animal behavioural sequences, researchers often need help finding an adequate model to assess certain characteristics of these sequences while using a relatively small number of parame...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/7/1174 |
| _version_ | 1797608459335630848 |
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| author | Zhanna Reznikova |
| author_facet | Zhanna Reznikova |
| author_sort | Zhanna Reznikova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Over the last 40–50 years, ethology has become increasingly quantitative and computational. However, when analysing animal behavioural sequences, researchers often need help finding an adequate model to assess certain characteristics of these sequences while using a relatively small number of parameters. In this review, I demonstrate that the information theory approaches based on Shannon entropy and Kolmogorov complexity can furnish effective tools to analyse and compare animal natural behaviours. In addition to a comparative analysis of stereotypic behavioural sequences, information theory can provide ideas for particular experiments on sophisticated animal communications. In particular, it has made it possible to discover the existence of a developed symbolic “language” in leader-scouting ant species based on the ability of these ants to transfer abstract information about remote events. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:43:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-557a18382939428aaf84d282120a3329 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:43:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-557a18382939428aaf84d282120a33292023-11-17T16:13:48ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-03-01137117410.3390/ani13071174Information Theory Opens New Dimensions in Experimental Studies of Animal Behaviour and CommunicationZhanna Reznikova0Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch RAS, Frunze 11, 630091 Novosibirsk, RussiaOver the last 40–50 years, ethology has become increasingly quantitative and computational. However, when analysing animal behavioural sequences, researchers often need help finding an adequate model to assess certain characteristics of these sequences while using a relatively small number of parameters. In this review, I demonstrate that the information theory approaches based on Shannon entropy and Kolmogorov complexity can furnish effective tools to analyse and compare animal natural behaviours. In addition to a comparative analysis of stereotypic behavioural sequences, information theory can provide ideas for particular experiments on sophisticated animal communications. In particular, it has made it possible to discover the existence of a developed symbolic “language” in leader-scouting ant species based on the ability of these ants to transfer abstract information about remote events.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/7/1174computational ethologyinformation theoryShannon entropyKolmogorov complexitybehavioural patternsclassification |
| spellingShingle | Zhanna Reznikova Information Theory Opens New Dimensions in Experimental Studies of Animal Behaviour and Communication Animals computational ethology information theory Shannon entropy Kolmogorov complexity behavioural patterns classification |
| title | Information Theory Opens New Dimensions in Experimental Studies of Animal Behaviour and Communication |
| title_full | Information Theory Opens New Dimensions in Experimental Studies of Animal Behaviour and Communication |
| title_fullStr | Information Theory Opens New Dimensions in Experimental Studies of Animal Behaviour and Communication |
| title_full_unstemmed | Information Theory Opens New Dimensions in Experimental Studies of Animal Behaviour and Communication |
| title_short | Information Theory Opens New Dimensions in Experimental Studies of Animal Behaviour and Communication |
| title_sort | information theory opens new dimensions in experimental studies of animal behaviour and communication |
| topic | computational ethology information theory Shannon entropy Kolmogorov complexity behavioural patterns classification |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/7/1174 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhannareznikova informationtheoryopensnewdimensionsinexperimentalstudiesofanimalbehaviourandcommunication |