Animal Behavior and Communication

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the major factors affecting animal behavior, key learning mechanisms, types of aggression, and descriptive body language terms.

Environment

The animal's surroundings and external conditions that can affect behavior, including temperature, lighting, noise, cleanliness, enclosure size, exercise, food access, and social interaction.

Health

An animal's physical and mental well-being, which can influence both normal and abnormal behavior.

Experience

What the animal has previously encountered or learned.

Genetics

Inherited traits and characteristics that influence an animal's temperament and behavior.

Stimulus to Response Key Concept

The progression represented by $\text{Stimulus} \rightarrow \text{Response} \rightarrow \text{Behavior}$, where an internal or external trigger causes a detectable change in an animal's actions.

Stimulus

Something that causes or elicits a response from an animal.

External Stimulus

Something outside an animal, such as a sound, smell, or sight, that causes a detectable response.

Internal Stimulus

Something occurring inside an animal, such as hunger, fatigue, body temperature changes, or hormones, that affects behavior.

Animal Behavior

An action performed by an animal in response to a stimulus.

Ethology

The study of animal behavior.

Normal Behavior

Behavior considered typical for an animal under appropriate conditions, such as being relaxed, alert, and comfortable.

Abnormal Behavior

Behavior that is unusual and may occur when an animal is stressed, bored, sick, or trying to cope with a negative environment.

Instinctive Behavior

A natural or inherited response to a stimulus that does not have to be taught.

Learned Behavior

Behavior that develops through experience rather than being entirely instinctive.

Conditioning

Learning to associate one stimulus with another or a behavior with its consequences.

Classical Conditioning

Learning that occurs when two stimuli are paired so that an animal develops an automatic or involuntary response.

Operant Conditioning

Learning in which an animal associates a voluntary behavior with a consequence, such as a reward or punishment.

Imprinting

A type of learning that occurs shortly after birth and can result in a strong attachment or recognition response.

Modeling

Learning a behavior by watching another animal.

Defensive Behavior

Actions an animal uses to protect itself when it feels threatened.

Submission

Behavior or body posture that communicates yielding or avoidance of conflict with another animal.

Aggression

Behavior used to threaten, challenge, defend against, or attack another animal or person.

Fear Aggression

Aggressive behavior that occurs when an animal attempts to protect itself from a perceived threat.

Maternal Aggression

Aggressive or defensive behavior used by a mother to protect her offspring.

Predatory Aggression

Aggressive behavior directed toward prey for the purpose of obtaining food.

Predatory Behavior

Instinctive behavior associated with locating, pursuing, or attacking prey.

Social Aggression

Aggressive behavior associated with establishing or maintaining social order within a group.

Territorial Aggression

Aggressive behavior used to protect an animal's territory or resources, such as food, space, a mate, or an owner.

Baring Teeth

Exposing the teeth, which can be a warning or sign associated with aggressive behavior.

Circling

Repeatedly moving around an area in a circular pattern; when excessive, it may be considered abnormal behavior.

Feather Plucking

Pulling out one's own feathers, which can be an abnormal behavior in birds.

Fixed/Intense Focus

Concentrating strongly on a particular target, which can occur during aggressive or predatory behavior.

Flattened Ears

Ears held flat or back against the head, which can occur with fear, stress, defensive behavior, or aggression depending on the species and situation.

Kicking

Striking out with the legs; in large animals, this may occur as defensive or aggressive behavior.

Lunging

A sudden movement toward a target that can be associated with aggressive behavior.

Pacing

Repeatedly walking back and forth along the same path; excessive pacing may indicate abnormal behavior.

Raised Hair

Hair standing up along an animal's back, which can occur during heightened arousal or aggressive interactions.

Rocking

Repetitive back-and-forth body movement that may represent abnormal behavior in some animals.

Self-Mutilation

An abnormal behavior in which an animal causes physical injury to itself.

Stiff/Rigid Posture

A tense body position that can be associated with fear, stress, defensive behavior, or aggression.

Weaving

Repetitive side-to-side movement, particularly seen in some large animals such as horses.