The behavior biopsy: Interpreting animal behavior as embodied, situated, and hierarchical

Abstract

Understanding animal behavior requires moving beyond specialized assays toward comprehensive assessment. We propose that behavior emerges from three fundamental principles: it is embodied, situated, and hierarchical. Recent advances in physics engines, computer vision, and multimodal language models now make it increasingly feasible to measure behavior across these dimensions. We argue for a behavior biopsy: a detailed, multidimensional assessment that captures the richness and complexity of animal behavior for basic science and translational applications.