Premium
The physiological effects of psychological stress
Author(s) -
Stoskopf Michael K.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
zoo biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1098-2361
pISSN - 0733-3188
DOI - 10.1002/zoo.1430020304
Subject(s) - stressor , biology , variety (cybernetics) , confounding , interpretation (philosophy) , stress (linguistics) , cognitive psychology , neuroscience , ecology , psychology , computer science , artificial intelligence , programming language , linguistics , statistics , philosophy , mathematics
The study of behavior is a powerful tool in the captive management of wild animals. It can, if properly applied, provide insight into a wide variety of problems. The interpretation of behavioral observations requires a firm understanding and characterization of the environmental parameters that can induce the physiological state of stress through neurological means in the study subjects. These factors include, but are not limited to, territorial factors, including social and physical accommodations, photo factors, and acoustical factors. Proper interpretation of behavioral observations also requires a basic understanding of the biochemical and physiological impacts of neuroendocrine‐mediated stress. These include alterations in an individual's ability to metabolize toxic substances, resist infections, and reproduce. Confounding effects of these alterations must be considered in the examination of behavioral data. The most powerful experimental designs in comparative behavior are those that concurrently examine environmental stressors, physiological status, and behavior.