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animal behavior

the scientific study of the behavior of animals, typically nonhuman animals. It includes the fields of ethology, comparative psychology, and behavioral ecology. Areas of study include aggression, courtship, grooming, mate selection, play, foraging, and parental behavior, among others.

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Psychology term of the day

January 20th 2025

fluctuation

fluctuation

n.

1. variation in size or value.

2. a slight change that is associated with environmental factors rather than being an inherited trait.

3. in time-series analyses, an irregularity that is not related to any trend and is thus often removed via smoothing.