(FLASHCARDS) Lesson 19: Animal Behavior

Proximate causation

Explains how of the behavior— what mechanisms inside animal are responsible (hormones, brain activity)

Physiology

Studying individual, internal process which includes body functions

Ontogeny

Studying the behavior of an individual organism which includes developmental processes

Phylogeny

Studies the evolutionary behavior of a group which includes why the behavior originally developed

Adaptive significance

How a behavior affects survival and reproduction in a given environment.

Ultimate Causation

explains the why— the adaptive value or evolutionary significance

Ethology

animal behavior; mostly proximate causation. Often the “what?” and “how?” of behavior.

Behavioral ecology

how animals use behavior to survive and reproduce; mostly ultimate causation. Often the “why?” of behavior

fitness

Research in behavioral biology often focuses on ___________.

Fitness

Survival to reproductive age

Key Stimulus

A “_____________” or “Sign Stimulus” is a signal from the environment that triggers a stereotyped behavior.

Associative learning

Learned association between stimuli.

Classical conditioning

Conditioning: Two stimuli become associated.

Operant conditioning

Conditioning: Behavior is modified by associating an action with a consequence.

Taxis

Directed Navigation using stimulus such as magnetic fields, light, olfaction

Kinesis

undirected movement to increase taxis stimulus.

Animal Cognition

Conscious planning ahead with acquired information (memory)

possible outcomes

In animal cognition, animals can have the knowledge of _________ __________.

teach knowledge to others

The ultimate level of cognition is being able to __________________.

Habituation

A progressive loss of a behavior due to repetition of a stimulus (used to the background noise)

Animal communication

uses signals or displays to modify another’s behavior

reproductive isolation

Animal communication function: Courtship displays are often species-specific and contribute to ____________________ (e.g., firefly flash patterns, frog calls).

dishonest signals

Some species, like blue jays, use __________________ for benefit.

Natural Selection

________________ shapes both signalers and receivers.

Parental investment

Time/energy spent on offspring—usually higher for females.

more, less

The sex that invests ___________ (often females) will be choosier in selecting mates; the______investing sex (often males) competes for access.

Intrasexual selection

Competition within a sex (e.g., males fighting).

Intersexual selection

Mate choice (e.g., females choosing colorful males).

secondary sexual characteristics

Traits appearing in one sex at maturity (e.g., plumage, antlers).

Sexual dimorphism

Physical differences between sexes—more pronounced when parental investment is unequal.

Monogamy

One male, one female per breeding event. Common where offspring need high care (e.g., African paradise flycatcher).

Polygyny

One male mates with multiple females. Often occurs when male parental care is unnecessary.

Polyandry

One female, multiple males. Rare; common where males do the caregiving (e.g., African Jacanas).

Promiscuity

Both sexes mate with multiple partners. Often includes communal care or female-only caregiving (e.g., vervet monkeys, banded mongooses).

Altruism

(strict definition): Cost to actor, benefit to another's fitness.

Mutualism

both individuals benefit (e.g., male lions cooperatively defending territory).

Manipulation

Recipient tricks donor (e.g., cuckoo birds).

Reciprocity

Helping with the expectation of being helped later.

Kin selection

Helping relatives can increase inclusive fitness (direct + indirect).