Ch 51 Animal Behavior

This set includes flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to animal behavior as discussed in the lecture notes.

spy hopping

A behavior observed in marine mammals, where they rise vertically in the water to look around.

Behavior

An actionable response to environmental stimuli.

Complex Innate behavior

Something you are born with, dont have to learn it

Fixed action pattern

Includes a sign stimulus that results in an unlearned act that is unchangeable

Migration is an example of _________ pattern

Fixed action

The circadium rhythm is controlled by the _______ brain

Middle

Visual, chemical, tactile, auditory

The four modes of animal communication

Innate behavior

A behavior that you are born with, genetic, and is performed by all individuals the same way

Learned behavior

A behavior that changes over time with experience

Imprinting

Type of learned behavior where mother teaches babies how to survive, only takes place during sensitive period

Spatial learning

A type of learned behavior where one has a cognitive map, creates a memory of the establishment of environment’s spatial structure

Associative Learning

Type of learned behavior where associate two stimuli such as bird avoid eating butterfly because tastes nasty

Arbitrary stimulus

Involuntary stimulus associated with reward or punishment

Classical conditioning

INVOLUNTARY type of associative learning using arbitrary stimulus like training a dog

Operant conditioning

Aka trial and error VOLUNTARY learning where animal learners to associate behavior with reward or punishment

Proximate causation

Questions that address the immediate stimuli that elicit a behavior.

Ultimate causation

Questions that explore the evolutionary significance of behavior.

Fixed Action Patterns

Complex innate behaviors that are unchangeable and linked to a specific external cue.

Sign stimulus

A specific external cue that triggers a fixed action pattern.

Migration

A regular, long-distance change in location guided by environmental cues.

Circannual rhythm

Behavior linked to the changing seasons, occurring over the course of a year.

Learned behavior

Behaviors that change over time as a result of experiences.

Imprinting

The establishment of a long-lasting behavioral response to a particular individual or object, often occurring during a sensitive period.

Spatial learning

The establishment of a memory that reflects the spatial structure of the environment.

Associative learning

A process where animals associate one feature of their environment with another.

Classical conditioning

A type of associative learning where an arbitrary stimulus comes to be associated with a reward or punishment.

Operant conditioning

A type of associative learning where an animal learns to associate a behavior with a reward or punishment.

Cognition

The process of knowing that involves awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgment.

Social learning

Learning by observing and interpreting the behaviors of others.

Foraging behavior

Activities related to recognizing, searching for, capturing, and eating food items.

Optimal foraging theory

Cost/benefit analysis concerning the benefits of nutrition and the costs of obtaining food.

Example of Optimal foraging theory

Deer feed in open area where food availability is low but would be better in first but predetation is high and most likely to get eaten so compromise

Social learning example

Young chimpanzees learn how to break open a nut

Mating systems

Patterns of sexual relationships among individuals in a population.

Monogamy

A mating system where one male meets and mates with one female.

Polygamy

A mating system where an individual has multiple mating partners.

Promiscuity

A mating system where both sexes have multiple partners without forming pair bonds.

Sexual dimorphism

Differences in appearance between males and females of a species.

Intrasexual selection

Competition between members of the same sex for mates.

Intersexual selection

Selection for traits that make individuals more attractive to the opposite sex.

Polyandry

One female mates with many males

Altruism

Behavior that increases the reproductive success of another individual at the expense of one's own.

Evolutionary fitness

Measures how many viable, fertile offsprings an individual leaves in the next generation

Inclusive fitness

Helping relatives reproduce, thus passing on shared genes.

Hamilton's rule

A principle used to predict when altruistic behaviors will be favored by natural selection.

_rB > C

Predict wether natural selection will favor altruistic cost

B

#of extra offspring produced

C

#of fewer offspring produced

_r

Fraction of shared genes between altruist and recipient (siblings)

Kin selection

Increasing reproductive success of related individuals

Does kin selection weaken or strengthen as relatedness between individuals decrease

Weaken

Reciprocal altruism

Altruistic behavior towards unrelated individuals based on the expectation of future reciprocation.

Circadian rhythm

Biological processes that cycle approximately every 24 hours.

Chemical communication

Transmission of signals through chemical substances, such as pheromones.

Visual communication

Use of visual signals such as body language or color displays between animals.

Tactile communication

Use of touch as a form of communication between animals.

Auditory communication

Use of sound to communicate information between animals.

Pheromones

Chemical substances released by individuals to communicate with others, often at low concentrations.

Animal signals

Stimuli generated by one animal that guide the behavior of another.

Agonistic behavior

Behavior associated with competition for mates.

Fixed action pattern

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

Diurnal animals

Animals that are active during the day.

Nocturnal animals

Animals that are active during the night.

Behavioral ecology

The study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior.

Mating call

A vocalization used to attract mates.

Tool use

The ability to use objects as instruments to achieve a goal.

Cultural behavior

Behaviors that are learned and passed down through generations within a species.

Ethology

The scientific study of animal behavior.

Natural selection

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Differential reproductive success

The varying reproduction rates of organisms based on heritable traits.

Behavioral rhythms

Regular patterns of behavior that occur in cycles.

Foraging strategies

Methods employed by animals to find and consume food.

Parental investment

The time and energy parents dedicate to raising their offspring.

Social hierarchy

The organization of individuals in a social group based on rank or dominance.

Territorial behavior

Defending a specific area from intruders of the same species.

Reciprocal altruism

Altruistic behavior that is repaid eventually in the future.

Sociobiology

The study of social behavior in the context of evolution.

Evolutionary psychology

The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind.