Animal Behavior: Proximate vs. Ultimate Causes

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture, including definitions of behavior, the distinction between innate and learned actions, Tinbergen’s proximate vs. ultimate questions, and the evolutionary concept of fitness.

What is behavior according to animal behavior studies?

Behavior is what an animal does and how it does it, encompassing both actions and the processes behind them.

Which animal example was used to illustrate returning to a birthplace to reproduce?

Female sea turtles return to the same beach where they hatched to lay their eggs.

What two broad categories of behavior were contrasted in the lecture?

Hardwired (innate) behaviors and learned behaviors.

Which Dutch biologist formulated the key questions on animal behavior discussed in the lecture?

Nico Tinbergen.

What is a proximate cause of behavior?

The immediate mechanisms—such as environmental stimuli and physiological processes—that initiate and explain how a behavior occurs.

What central question does the proximate perspective address?

How does the behavior start and how is it expressed?

What is an ultimate cause of behavior?

The evolutionary explanation of why a behavior exists, focusing on how it increases survival and reproductive success (fitness).

What central question does the ultimate perspective address?

Why does the behavior exist in an evolutionary context?

How is fitness related to ultimate causes of behavior?

Ultimate causes explain behaviors that enhance an individual's fitness by improving survival and reproductive success.

Why are both proximate and ultimate questions essential in studying animal behavior?

They provide complementary insights—proximate questions explain the mechanisms behind behavior, while ultimate questions explain its evolutionary significance.