Animal Behavioral Development
Behavioral development is a result of many factors that affect individuals at different life stages, an interlacing of multiple factors is usually most important. Some behavioral developments show hereditary traits, being similar among generations, but generally, animal behavior is a result of nature and nurture; the environment in which the individual was raised as well as its genes. Gene-environment effects are an individual's genotypes developing under certain conditions. Determining these genetic effects can be very difficult. Similar genotypes can, and commonly do, grow in similar environmental conditions. In twins and siblings, their closely related genetics and common early environment means either could be the source of their similarities.
When an individual performs complex actions without any apparent direct benefit or playing, it actually is a form of learning. There is different forms of play: object play, locomotor play, and social play. Object play, playing with objects, allows animals to practice foraging, catching, and holding. Locomotor play helps develop motor skills by moving and running in a playful manner. And social play develops social skills, usually through play fighting.
Human children do the same as they grow up; playing with toys and people, as well as beginning to move and walk. The way we learn and develop can be studied more through the way other mammals learn and grow in different environments, and maybe even give us insight into how we are doing better or worse.
I had never heard of the gene-environmental effect until your class.
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