1973 - Karl von Frisch, Konrad Lorenz and Nikolaas Tinbergen

von Frisch elucidated the genetically programmed 'language of bees'. When a bee finds flowers containing nectar, it performs a special dance when returning to the hive, informing the other bees about the existence of food, its direction and distance. The dance and the ability to understand in are genetically programmed behavior patterns.

Lorenz found that experiences of young animals could be decisive for their future development. Newborn duckling follow the first object that they catch sight of, normally their mother, but they may be seduced to follow almost any moving object or creature. A phenomenon called 'imprinting'.

Tinbergen's tested various hypotheses by comprehensive and careful experiments. He analysed which properties of the seagull's bill elicit nestling's food begging picking against it. One finding was that by exaggerating certain characteristics, it is possible to produce "supranormal" stimuli that elicit more intense behaviour than the natural ones.