Animal Behavior: Sensory Systems and Learning Concepts

These flashcards contain key vocabulary terms and their definitions related to sensory systems and behavioral learning in animals, helping in the review of important concepts for the exam.

Umwelt

The way a specific animal perceives its environment, which can vary significantly among species.

Chemoreception

The process by which animals perceive chemical stimuli in their environment, including gustation (taste) and olfaction (smell).

Photoreception

The ability of an animal to perceive light, with different species being sensitive to different wavelengths.

Mechanoreception

The sensory process that allows detection of vibrations and mechanical changes in the environment.

Electroreception

The ability to detect electric fields generated by living organisms, often used by aquatic animals.

Imprinting

A rapid learning process that occurs early in an animal's life, which establishes social or behavioral attachments.

Stereotyped behavior

Behaviors that occur in a consistent form among individuals of the same species, often triggered by specific stimuli.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a repeated stimulus that is not accompanied by any reinforcement.

Reinforcement

Any consequence that increases (positive) or decreases (negative) the probability of a behavior being repeated.

Classical conditioning

A learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned response.

Operant conditioning

A learning process where an animal learns to associate specific behaviors with their consequences, often involving reinforcement.

Gene x Environment Interactions

The phenomenon where different genotypes display varying behaviors in response to different environmental conditions.

Heritability

A measure of how much of the variation in a trait can be attributed to genetic differences among individuals.

Pleiotropy

The genetic phenomenon where a single gene influences multiple phenotypic traits.

Personalities in animals

Consistent behavioral differences among individuals within a population, reflecting stable traits.

Anthropomorphism

The attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities, often cautionary in scientific study.

Developmental explanation

Understanding an organism's current form in terms of its developmental history and processes.

Adaptation

The evolutionary process where a species evolves traits that provide a selective advantage in its environment.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history of a species, reconstructed from fossil records and genetic data.