Variation in behavior is a consequence of variation in genotype, development, and experience. The expression of behavior results from the unfolding of chains of biological processes beginning with gene expression, extending through neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, and neuromuscular action, all the way to social interactions. Evolutionary changes in behavior result from changes in the frequencies of alternative alleles at genes that affect behavioral expression.
Selection takes place at the boundaries of animals and their environments.
Therefore, to develop a deeper understanding of how and why animals behave we must integrate quantitative behavioral genetics, behavioral neuroscience, and the traditional discipline of animal behavior because each plays a valuable and unique role. For the past 30 years, a major occupation of animal behaviorists has been explaining observed patterns of behavior as consequences of evolution by natural selection. The main objective of this work isto achieve significant advances in the integration of gene-based technology, neurobiology and animal behavior to understand the evolutionary dynamics of social organization in insect societies. Therelationships between behavioral genetics, neurobiology, ethology, and behavioral ecology, are obvious. Collectively they encompass behavioral science.