Primate 1st exam 1-4 topics

Why was an understanding of animal behavior so important to early humans?

It could mean life or death

Why is the study of animal behavior important today?

To find food and avoid being eaten, control agricultural pests, protect pollinators and food supply, and protect endangered species, as well as people are fascinated by animals.

Why study Primate behavior?

To make inferences about human behavioral evolution, to improve the lives of human and because primate species face the threat of extinction within our lifetimes.

What is the 1st type of explanations of behavior?

Proximate: immediate cause, the stimuli to evoke the behavior, neural or hormonal basis

What is the 2nd type of explanations of behavior?

Adaptive: Current utility, function, the behaviors help on survival & reproduction

What is the 3rd type of explanation of behavior?

Ontogenetic (Development): The cause for the behavior due to development now

What is the 4th type of explanation of behavior?

Evolutionary (phylogenetic): History origin

Why did the chimp bare his teeth?

Proximate: another male approached, Adaptive: Fear & Submission to let other chimp retreat, Ontogenetic: Learned behavior from mom, Phylogenetic: when in pain

What is evolution?

Change in genetic composition of a population overtime

What are the mechanisms of evolutionary change

Mutation, Gene flow, Genetic drift and Natural selection

Mutation

Change in DNA due to random copying errors during cell division

Gene Flow

Exchange of genes from one population to another

Genetic Drift

Random change in a population’s genetic composition due to chance events

Natural Selection

Differential reproduction among members of a population due to a genetic difference among its members

What observations did Darwin make that formed the basis of his theory of natural selection?

Favorable traits, survival rate and reproduction rate.

If a trait is adaptive, who benefits in terms of survival and reproduction?

individuals always and sometimes groups

Why can’t natural selection result in all the traits that might be most beneficial to an organism?

Genetic variation is limited, engineering or design constraints and functional constraints.

What is the difference between an individual’s phenotype and genotype?

Phenotype: behavior or physical appearance of an organism, Genotype: Genetic makeup, genes that are inherited.

Is behavior part of the phenotype?

yes

Why is it that we can only discuss the genetic basis of behavioral differences, not the genetic basis of behavior?

Genetic basis of behavior implies a 1 to 1 correspondence between genetics and behavior

1st behavioral genetic technique

Single gene effects: knocking out a single gene & seeing what happens to an animals behavior

2nd behavioral genetic technique

Selection experiments: Selectively breed for certain behavior types over many generations

3rd behavioral genetic technique

Crossbreeding of species: breeding individuals of 2 different species and obtain ‘intermediate’ behaviors by the two

4th behavioral genetic technique

Cross fostering: raise infants of one species by mothers of another

5th behavioral genetic technique

Adoption studies: like cross fostering but unintentional

6th behavioral genetic technique

Twin studies: study identical twins raised under different conditions

What is the general conclusion of behavioral geneticists to date as to the percentage of variation in human behavioral traits due to genetics and the percentage due to environmental factors?

½ variation in behavioral traits in humans is due to variation in the genes and ½ is due to variation in the environment

What characteristics do all primates have in common that are rare or absent in the other orders of mammals?

Locomotion: Hindlimb dominated, sensory apparatus: Large eyes and Binocular & Stereoscopic vision, Skull morphology: Post orbital bars, Reproduction: Males have early and permanent discarded testes to enhance sperm storage and Females have sperate openings for urine and reproduction, Way of life: Long time till reproductive maturity, long lifespan, few offspring.