Behavioral Genetics and Animal Science - Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals - page 15

stage of development; in the insects fixity has triumphed, instinctive action
is predominant. The ant has apparently sacrificed adaptability to the development
of ability to react quickly, accurately, and uniformly in a certain way. Roughly,
animals might be separated into two classes: those which are in high degree capable
of immediate adaptation to their conditions, and those that are apparently automatic
since they depend upon instinct tendencies to action instead of upon rapid adaptation.

Emotional Systems Motivate Behavior
Great strides have been made in understanding how genetic factors affect
behavior when scientists started by looking at brain systems that control
emotions. This is the starting point for making it possible to sort out many
conflicting results in behavioral studies.
The neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp outlined the major emotional systems
located in the subcortical areas of the brain. The four main emotions are
FEAR, RAGE, PANIC (separation distress), and SEEKING (novelty seeking)
( Panksepp, 2005, 1998 ; Morris et al.,2011 ). He also listed three additional
emotional systems of LUST, CARE (mother young nurturing behavior) and

PLAY. Each primary system is associated with a genetically based subcortical
brain network. Panksepp (2011) defined the basic emotional circuits of mam-
malian brains:
FEAR: An emotion induced by a perceived threat that causes animals to
move quickly away from the location of the perceived threat, and sometimes
hide. Fear should be distinguished from the emotion anxiety, which typically
occurs without any certain or immediate external threat. Some examples of
fear are reactions to exposure to sudden novelty, startle responses, and hiding
from predators. Fear is sometimes referred to as behavioral reactivity, behavioral
agitation, or a highly reactive temperament.
PANIC: Separation distress is an emotional condition in which an indi-
vidual experiences excessive anxiety regarding separation from either home
or from other animals that the individual has a strong emotional attachment
to. One example of separation distress is a puppy or lamb vocalizing when it
is separated from its mother. The PANIC system may also be activated when
a single cow is separated from her herd. Sometimes referred to as social
isolation stress or high social reinstatement behavior.
RAGE: A feeling of intense anger. Rage is associated with the fight-or-
flight response and is activated in response to an external cue such as frustration
or attempts to curtail an animal's activity. RAGE is the emotion that enables an
animal to escape when it is in the jaws of a predator.
SEEKING: The seeking system (novelty seeking) in the brain motivates ani-
mals to become extremely energized to explore the world, but is not restricted
to the narrow behavioristic concept of approach, or the pleasure/reinforcement
system. Seeking is a broad action system in the brain that helps coordinate feel-
ings of anticipation, eagerness, purpose and persistence, wanting, and desire.