Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T07:05:21.618Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Individual Differences in Temperament of Domestic Animals: A Review of Methodology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

X Manteca  and
J M Deag
X Manteca*
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, School of Veterinary Science, Universität Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
J M Deag
Affiliation:
Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, UK
*
† Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Individual differences in behaviour may be examined at two levels. First, individuals may differ in terms of frequencies, durations and/or patterning of particular measures of their behaviour. Second, individuals may differ in their temperament, ie in the way they react to environmental change and challenge. Individual differences in temperament are particularly relevant to animal welfare studies, for the welfare of an individual largely depends on whether it can cope with environmental challenge. Whereas the study of individual differences in behaviour at the first level may be achieved by using standard behavioural methods, the study of individual differences in temperament requires the use of more unusual methods, namely observers’ ratings and behavioural tests. Observers’ ratings provide information on subtle aspects of an individual's behaviour that could otherwise be overlooked. Behavioural tests facilitate comparisons between individuals in a more standardized way. It is suggested that both systems should be used together.

Taking individual differences into account when designing experiments may help reduce variability in studies on welfare issues and understanding the causes of individual differences in temperament may allow us to reduce the incidence of some welfare problems.

Keywords

animal welfarebehaviourindividual differencestemperament
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , August 1993 , pp. 247 - 268
Copyright
© 1993 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Agyemang, K, Clapp, E and van Vleck, LD 1982 Components of variance of dairymen’s workability traits among Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 65: 1334–1338CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arave, C W, Mickelson, C H and Walters, J L 1985 Effects of early rearing experience on subsequent behavior and production of Holstein heifers. Journal of Dairy Science 68: 923–929CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Archer, J 1973 Tests for emotionality in rats and mice: a review. Animal Behaviour 21: 205–235CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arnold, G W and Grassia, A 1982 Ethogram of agonistic behaviour for thoroughbred horses. Applied Animal Ethology 8: 5–26CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arnold, G W and Grassia, A 1983 Social interactions amongst beef cows when competing for food. Applied Animal Ethology 9: 239–252CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bateson, P 1976 Specificity and the origins of behavior. In Rosenblatt, J S, Hinde, R A, Shaw, E and Beer, C (eds) Advances in the Study of Behavior Volume 6. Academic Press: New YorkGoogle Scholar
Bateson, P and Turner, D 1988 Questions about cats. In Turner, D and Bateson, P (eds) The Domestic Cat. The Biology of its Behaviour pp 193–201. Cambridge University Press: CambridgeGoogle Scholar
Beilharz, R G and Cox, D F 1967 Genetic analysis of open-field behavior in swine. Journal of Animal Science 26: 988–990CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bckoff, M 1977 Mammalian dispersal and the ontogeny of individual behavioral phenotypes. American Naturalist 111: 715–732CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blackith, R E and Reyment, R A 1971 Multivariate Morphometries. Academic Press: LondonGoogle Scholar
Block, J 1977 Advancing the psychology of personality: paradigmatic shift or improving the quality of research. In Endler, N S and Magnusson, D (eds) Personality at the Crossroads. Wiley: New YorkGoogle Scholar
Bohus, B, Benus, R F, Fokkema, D S, Koolhaas, J M, Nyakas, C, van Oortmerssen, G A, Prins, A J A, de Ruiter, A J H, Scheurink, A J W and Steffens, A B 1987 Neuroendocrine states and behavioural and physiological stress responses. In de Kloet, E R, Wiegant, V M and de Wied, D (eds) Progress in Brain Research Volume 72. Elsevier: AmsterdamGoogle Scholar
Broom, D M 1988 The scientific assessment of animal welfare. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 20: 5–19CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cole, D D and Shafer, J B 1966 A study of social dominance in cats. Behaviour 27: 39–53CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Creel, S R and Albright, J L 1988 The effects of neonatal social isolation on the behaviour and endocrine function of Holstein calves. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 21: 293–306CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cunningham, D L and von Tienhoven, A 1983 Relationship between production factors and dominance in White Leghorn hens in a study on social rank and cage design. Applied Animal Ethology 11: 33–44CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dawkins, R 1976 The Selfish Gene. Oxford University Press: OxfordGoogle Scholar
Dellmeier, G, Friend, T and Gbur, E 1990 Effects of changing housing on open-field behaviour of calves. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 26: 215–230CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dennison, S G C 1985 The Development of Behaviour Patterns and an Assessment of Temperament of Dairy Heifers. PhD Thesis: University of EdinburghGoogle Scholar
Dickson, D P, Barr, G R, Johnson, L P and Weickert, D A 1970 Social dominance and temperament of Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 53: 904–907CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faure, J M 1980a Selection for open-field behaviour in the chicken: the relationship between open-field and social behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 6: 385Google Scholar
Faure, J M 1980b To adapt the environment to the bird or the bird to the environment? In Moss R (ed) The Laying Hen and its Environment pp 19–30. Martinus Nijhoff: The HagueCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Feaver, J, Mendi, M and Batesón, P 1986 A method for rating the individual distinctiveness of domestic cats. Animal Behaviour 34: 1016–1025CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fedigan, L M 1982 Primate Paradigms. Eden Press: MontrealGoogle Scholar
Fox, M W 1972 Socio-ecological implications of individual differences in a wolf litter: a developmental and evolutionary perspective. Behaviour 41: 298–313CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraser, D 1974 The vocalizations and other behaviours of growing pigs in an open-field test. Applied Animal Ethology 1: 3–16CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraser, D 1975 Vocalizations of isolated piglets I. Sources of variation and relationships among measures. Applied Animal Ethology 1: 387–394CrossRefGoogle Scholar
French, J M 1991 Assessment of donkey temperament and the influence of home environment. In Appleby, M C, Horrell, R I, Petherick, J C and Rutter, S M (eds) Applied Animal Behaviour: Past, Present and Future pp 47–48. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare: Potters BarGoogle Scholar
Gallup, G G 1979 Tonic immobility as a measure of fear in the domestic fowl. Animal Behaviour 27: 316–317CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gallup, G G and Suarez, S D 1980 An ethological analysis of open-field behaviour in chickens. Animal Behaviour 28: 368–378CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goddard, M E and Beilharz, R G 1986 Early prediction of adult behaviour in potential guide dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 15: 247–260CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gonyou, H W 1991 The interaction of humans with food animals: making husbandry a science. In Appleby, M C, Horrell, R I, Petherick, J C and Rutter, S M (eds) Applied Animal Behaviour: Past, Present and Future pp 31–33. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare: Potters BarGoogle Scholar
Goodall, J 1986 The Chimpanzees of Gombe. Harvard University Press: CambridgeGoogle Scholar
Goodman, G T and Grosvenor, C E 1983 Neuroendocrine control of the milk ejection reflex. Journal of Dairy Science 66: 2226–2235CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gray, J A 1991 The Psychology of Fear and Stress 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press: CambridgeGoogle Scholar
Hemsworth, P H, Barnett, J C, Hansen, C and Gonyou, H W 1986a The influence of early contact with humans on subsequent behavioural response of pigs to humans. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 15: 55–63CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hemsworth, P H, Gonyou, H W and Dziuk, P J 1986b Human communication with pigs: the behavioural response of pigs to specific human signals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 15: 45–54CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hemsworth, P H, Hansen, C and Barnett, J L 1987 The effects of human presence at the time of calving of primiparous cows on their subsequent behavioural response to milking. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 18: 247–255CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hemsworth, P H, Barnett, J L, Tilbrook, A J and Hansen, C 1989 The effects of handling by humans at calving and during milking on the behaviour and milk Cortisol concentrations of primiparous daity cows. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 22: 313–326CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hunter, E J, Broom, D M, Edwards, S A and Sibly, RM 1988 Social hierarchy and feeder access in a group of 20 sows using a computer-controlled feeder. Animal Production 47: 139–149Google Scholar
Huntingford, F 1984 The Study of Animal Behaviour. Chapman and Hall: LondonCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, R B 1977 Sex and strain differences in the open-field responses of the domestic chick. Applied Animal Ethology 3: 255–261CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, R B 1984 The open-field as a stressor: fear in domestic chicks (Abstract). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 11: 80–81Google Scholar
Jones, R B 1986a Tonic immobility in the domestic fowl: a descriptive profile (Abstract). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 15: 182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, R B 1986b Social factors affecting tonic immobility in chickens (Abstract). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 16: 96–97CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, R B 1986c The tonic immobility reaction of the domestic fowl: a review. World’s Poultry Science Journal 42: 82–96CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, R B 1987 Repeatability of fear ranks among adult laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 19: 297–304CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, R B 1988 Fearfulness in chickens: its importance and modification (Abstract). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 21: 377CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, R B and Faure, JM 1981 The effects of regular handling on fear responses in the domestic chick. Behavioural Processes 6: 135–143CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kerr, S G C and Wood-Gush, DGM 1987 The development of behaviour patterns and temperament in dairy heifers. Behavioural Processes 15: 1–16CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kilgour, R 1975 The open-field test as an assessment of the temperament of dairy cows. Animal Behaviour 23: 615–624CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kovalcikova, M and Kovalcic, K 1982 Relationships between parameters of the open-field test of cows and their milk production in loose housing. Applied Animal Ethology 9: 121–129CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ladewig, J 1991 Development of the concept of stress and its application to farm animal behaviour research. In Appleby, M C, Horrell, R I, Petherick, J C and Hunter, S M (eds) Applied Animal Behaviour: Past, Present and Future pp 114–117. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare: Potters BarGoogle Scholar
Lawrence, A B, Terlouw, EMC and Illius, A W 1991 Individual differences in behavioural responses of pigs exposed to non-social and social challenges. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 30: 73–86CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lawrence, C W 1981 Individual Differences in the Mother-Kitten Relationship in the Domestic Cat. PhD Thesis: University of EdinburghGoogle Scholar
Le Neindre, P 1989 Influence of rearing conditions and breed on social behaviour and activity of cattle in novel environments. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 23: 129–140CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lyons, D 1989 Individual differences in temperament of dairy goats and the inhibition of milk ejection. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 22: 269–282CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lyons, D M, Price, E O and Moberg, G P 1988a Social modulation of pituitary-adrenal responsiveness and individual differences in behavior of young domestic goats. Physiology and Behaviour 43: 451–458CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lyons, D M, Price, E O and Moberg, G P 1988b Individual differences in temperament of domestic dairy goats: constancy and change. Animal Behaviour 36: 1323–1333CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McBride, G, Parer, L P and Foenander, F 1969 The social organization and behaviour of the feral domestic fowl. Animal Behaviour Monographs 2: 127–181CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCann, J S, Heird, J C, Bell, R W and Lutherer, L O 1987 Normal and more highly reactive horses I. Heart rate, respiration rate and behavioural observations. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 19: 201–214CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McFarland, D 1987 The Oxford Companion to Animal Behaviour. Oxford University Press: OxfordGoogle Scholar
Martin, P and Bateson, P 1986 Measuring Behaviour. Cambridge University Press: CambridgeGoogle Scholar
Meijsser, F M, Kersten, AMP, Wiepkema, P R and Metz, J H M 1989 An analysis of the open-field performance of sub-adult rabbits. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 24: 147–155CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mendl, M and Harcourt, R 1988 Individuality in the domestic cat. In Turner, D and Bateson, P (eds) The Domestic Cat. The Biology of its Behaviour pp 41–54. Cambridge University Press: CambridgeGoogle Scholar
Murphy, L B and Duncan, I J H 1978 Attempts to modify the responses of domestic fowl towards human beings II. The effect of early experience. Applied Animal Ethology 4: 5–12CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plomin, R, DeFries, J C and McClearn, G E 1990 Behavioral Genetics. A primer 2nd edition. W H Freeman & Company: New YorkGoogle Scholar
Price, E O and Thos, J 1980 Behavioural responses to short term social isolation in sheep and goats. Applied Animal Ethology 6: 331–339CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Purcell, D, Arave, C W, Gilbert, B J and Walters, J L 1985 Relationship of three measures of behavior to milk production. Journal of Dairy Science 68 (Supplement 1): 42Google Scholar
Purcell, D, Arave, C W and Walters, J L 1988 Relationship of three measures of behaviour to milk production. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 21: 307–313CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rasmussen, A A 1991 Behavioural reaction of individual pigs raised in different environments to a novel object and to handling at slaughter in relation to measurements of the adrenal cortex (Abstract). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 30: 176CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Royce, J R 1977 On the construct validity of open-field measures. Psychological Bulletin 84: 1098–1106CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schaller, G B 1964 The Year of the Gorilla. The University of Chicago Press: ChicagoGoogle Scholar
Schaller, G B 1988 Foreword. In Strum S C Almost Human. A Journey into the World of Baboons. Hamish Hamilton: LondonGoogle Scholar
Spencer-Booth, Y and Hinde, R A 1969 Tests of behavioural characteristics for rhesus monkeys. Behaviour 33: 179–211CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stevenson-Hinde, J 1983 Individual characteristics: a statement of the problem. Constancy over time. Predictability across situations. In Hinde R A (ed) Primate Social Relationships: an Integrated Approach. Blackwell Scientific Publications: OxfordGoogle Scholar
Stevenson-Hinde, J, Stillwell-Barnes, R and Zunz, M 1980 Subjective assessment of rhesus monkeys over four succesive years. Primates 21: 66–82CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Strum, S C 1988 Almost Human. A Journey into the World of Baboons. Hamish Hamilton: LondonGoogle Scholar
Syme, L A 1981 Social disruption and forced movement orders in sheep. Animal Behaviour 29: 283–288CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Syme, L A and Elphick, G R 1982 Heart rate and the behaviour of sheep in yards. Applied Animal Ethology 9: 31–35CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tulloh, N M 1961 Behaviour of cattle in yards II. A study of temperament. Animal Behaviour 9: 25–30CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Warnick, V D, Arave, C W and Mickelsen, C H 1977 Effects of group, individual and isolated rearing of calves on weight gain and behavior. Journal of Dairy Science 60: 947–953CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Webster, A B and Hurnick, J F 1990 Open-field assessment of behavioural phenotype within genetic stocks of the White Leghorn chicken. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 27: 115–126CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiepkema, P R, Van Hcllemaond, K K, Rocssingh, P and Romberg, H 1987 Behaviour and abomasal damage in individual veal calves. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 18: 257–268CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Willis, G L 1983 A possible relationship between the flinch, step and kick response and milk yield in lactating cows. Applied Animal Ethology 10: 287–290CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood-Gush, DGM and Vestegaard, K 1989 Exploratory behaviour and the welfare of intensively kept animals. Journal of Agricultural Ethics 2: 161–169CrossRefGoogle Scholar