BIOL 4700, 6700 Units 1 and 2 Final Exam Study Guide

A collection of vocabulary flashcards from the study guide for the Behavioral Ecology course.

Behavior

The way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially toward others.

Ethology

The scientific study of animal behavior, particularly in natural environments.

Innate Behavior

Behavior that is genetically hardwired and does not require learning or experience.

Learning

A process that leads to relatively permanent changes in behavior due to experiences.

Comparative Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies the behavior and mental processes of non-human animals.

Intraspecific

Referring to interactions or behaviors that occur within the same species.

Interspecific

Referring to interactions or behaviors that occur between different species.

Proximate Questions

Questions that seek to understand the immediate cause of a behavior.

Ultimate Questions

Questions that explore the evolutionary reasons for a behavior.

Heritability

The proportion of observed variation in a trait that can be attributed to inherited genetic factors.

Anthropomorphism

The attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities.

Natural Selection

A process in evolution where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.

Cultural Transmission

The way in which a group socially transmits behaviors, traditions, and knowledge to its members.

Sexual Selection

A form of natural selection where individuals with certain inherited characteristics are more likely than others to obtain mates.

Altruism

Selfless concern for the well-being of others, often at a cost to oneself.

Kin Selection

A type of natural selection that favors behaviors which increase the survival of relatives.

Eusociality

A social structure characterized by the presence of cooperative brood care, overlapping generations, and reproductive division of labor.

Ectoparasites

Parasites that live on the exterior of the host.

Endoparasites

Parasites that live inside the host.

Coevolution

The process by which two or more species influence each other's evolution.

Reciprocal Altruism

An arrangement in which one organism provides a benefit to another with the expectation that the favor will be returned in the future.

Fixed Action Patterns

A sequence of unlearned acts directly linked to a simple stimulus.

Mate Guarding

A behavior in which an individual remains close to its mate to prevent it from mating with others.

Phenotypic Plasticity

The ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to changes in the environment.