the Tinbergen Four Questions

The Tinbergen Four Questions explain how to study animal behavior by examining four key aspects: causation (what triggers the behavior and how it works), development (how behavior changes over an animal's life), evolution (how behavior has changed over generations), and function (why the behavior benefits the animal, such as survival or reproduction). Together, these questions help scientists understand the reasons behind and mechanisms of animal behaviors comprehensively, considering immediate causes, development, evolutionary history, and ecological significance.