It is Time for Animal Behavior to Become Its Own Discipline

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By Professor Victoria Sutton

January 12, 2026

Guest Opinion. It is time for animal behavior to become its own academic discipline.

The Animal Behavior Society argues that animal behavior is a discipline within psychology and biology, but that definition describes a subfield rather than a standalone discipline.

Technically, the field is called ethology, meaning it already has its own “-ology,” which alone suggests it qualifies as a distinct discipline.

In the 1970s, operant conditioning in psychology and animal studies were all the rage, having gained popularity after B.F. Skinner’s work in the 1950s. Operant conditioning is a type of learning that modifies behavior based on consequences through positive and negative reinforcement. My first science fair project in eighth grade involved animal behavior and operant conditioning using only positive reinforcement. It placed at the top of the science fair, likely in part because animal behavior was such a popular topic in psychology at the time. But even then, this interest existed primarily for the purpose of understanding humans.

For much of modern academic history, animal behavior has been studied mainly as a tool for understanding human behavior, placing it squarely within the discipline of psychology. I was an Animal Science major and did not take a single course in animal behavior. Wildlife Management programs likely did not require a course in animal behavior at that time either, even though hunters clearly need an understanding of animal behavior to be successful.

Biology departments have focused on neuroscience and genetics as they relate to animal behavior, and much of this research has ultimately been aimed at benefiting or better understanding human physiology.

Meanwhile, companion animal training—including service dogs, police dogs, cadaver dogs, and sports dogs—relies on dedicated professionals who must deeply understand animal behavior. Wildlife conservation and rehabilitation professionals similarly depend on behavioral knowledge.

Indigenous peoples, for millennia, have viewed animal behavior as a way of knowing and understanding the world—they were the first ethologists. Nearly all Native American teaching stories include animal characters whose behaviors align closely with their real-world counterparts and from whom important lessons are drawn.

To read more articles by Professor Sutton go to:  https://profvictoria.substack.com/ 

Professor Victoria Sutton (Lumbee) is a law professor on the faculty of Texas Tech University. In 2005, Sutton became a founding member of the National Congress of American Indians, Policy Advisory Board to the NCAI Policy Center, positioning the Native American community to act and lead on policy issues affecting Indigenous communities in the United States.

Traditional ecological knowledge represents the accumulation of observations of animal behavior, not just at isolated moments in time, but across years, decades, and generations, often in response to ecological change. Because this knowledge has long been essential to Indigenous peoples, Western science has frequently been forced to play catch-up. Recognizing animal behavior as a discipline would allow this knowledge to be more fully gathered, organized, and advanced in one place.

A Brief History of Animal Behavior as a Field

In 1974, researchers published a paper in American Psychologist that is widely recognized as a foundational moment in the application of animal behavior principles to companion animal problems. The paper outlined systematic methods for addressing behavior issues in pets and marked a turning point: research was finally being directed toward understanding animals for their own sake. Still, animal clinical psychology remained within the broader discipline of psychology.

Degrees in Animal Behavior

Today, some universities offer degrees in animal behavior, but they remain housed within other disciplines. Hunter College offers a master’s degree in Animal Behavior and Conservation through its psychology program. Arizona State University and the University of California, Davis both offer doctoral degrees in animal behavior through biology departments. Other institutions offer related programs under ethology or behavioral biology, but none treat animal behavior as a fully independent discipline.

Certifications

The field of animal behavior includes certifications in applied animal behavior and veterinary behavior. Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists are required to hold graduate degrees in a behavioral science. Veterinary behaviorists must complete both veterinary training and a specialized residency in animal behavior. However, outside of veterinary medicine, almost anyone can call themselves an “animal behaviorist,” highlighting the lack of a unified disciplinary structure.

What Makes a Discipline?

A discipline has its own theories, principles, methodologies, and an accumulating body of knowledge that builds upon itself. Animal behavior currently draws from psychology, biology, zoology, and veterinary science. If unified under a single discipline, research agendas, funding priorities, and knowledge development could become more cohesive and more powerful.

This would not eliminate interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary work. Environmental science followed a similar path, emerging from biology, chemistry, engineering, and law before coalescing into its own discipline with its own institutions, scholars, and research priorities.

New Research in Animal Behavior

Recent advances, particularly using artificial intelligence to analyze animal communication, are challenging the long-held assumption that humans are the only species with language. Cetaceans, especially whales, appear to possess highly complex communication systems, and underwater noise pollution may be severely disrupting their social structures.

This line of research also raises profound ethical questions about animal rights, cruelty, and human interference in animal lives. It may eventually force a reconsideration of the ancient legal principle that treats animals solely as property.

Final Thoughts

The need to understand animal behavior for its own sake—and for its applied importance in conservation, training, welfare, and human coexistence—has grown into a mature and essential field of study. It now warrants recognition as a discipline in its own right, not merely a subfield of psychology, biology, or veterinary medicine.

Animal training and animal-centered research are forms of work that cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence, and these careers may become increasingly important and appealing to students in the years ahead.