Comparative (or zoological) psychology is concerned with the genesis (evolution and development), control, and consequences of a broad range of behavioral patterns. It emerged during the late 19th century with the concerns of Darwin, Romanes, Spalding, and others who studied the evolution of human minds and instincts. However, it has developed a functional autonomy. Comparative psychology deserves a place in the undergraduate curriculum for historical reasons and because modem comparative psychology provides a breadth of perspective on behavior unmatched elsewhere in psychology.
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