GRK 518:  Strategies and Optimisation of Behaviour

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: from 1999 to 2005
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 272727

It is the aim to establish by means of an interdisciplinary education and research programme a close connection between those areas of biology, psychology, informatics and economics which are involved in investigating the behaviour of animals, humans and technical systems. The programme will focus on behavioural strategies and their optimisation by employing a wide range of different but complementary approaches. It is an important property of animals includung humans to be able to cope with the often variable tasks they are confronted with. Also artificial systems have to perform in this way to be useful in complex environments. Behaviour which is adapted to the respective environments is the outcome of optimisation processes which operate at different levels: Selection leads to a species specific repertoire of behavioural strategies. On this basis the individual organisms can further adapt by learning to their respective environments. Intensive discussions of the research results obtained by the graduate students will enhance their competence to employ to their benefit also modern approaches and methods originating from other disciplines. In this way the graduate students will reach a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles underlying behavioural strategies and their optimisation.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Universität Bielefeld
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Martin Egelhaaf
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Wulf Albers; Professor Dr. Hans-Joachim Bischof; Professor Dr. Peter Clarenbach; Professor Dr. Holk Cruse; Professor Dr. Hans J. Markowitsch; Professor Dr. Horst M. Müller; Professor Dr. Helge Ritter; Professor Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Sagerer; Professor Dr. Fritz Trillmich; Professor Dr. Jianwei Zhang