Animal Behavior Module 7

What structural system primarily controls behavior?

The nervous system.

How do changes in the nervous system impact behavior?

Changes and development in the nervous system directly influence changes in behavior.

What cellular effect does a learned behavior have on the brain?

It causes a buildup of brain neurons

Besides gaining neurons, what neural change can cause the loss of a behavior?

The loss of the underlying neural circuitry.

In insect metamorphosis, how are behavioral changes between juveniles and adults correlated?

They are correlated to changes in motor neurons due to changes in anatomical features.

Which two juvenile behaviors cease when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly?

Chewing and crawling.

Which two adult behaviors replace chewing and crawling in butterflies?

Nectar sucking and flying

Why are a caterpillar's chewing and crawling motor neurons completely lost during metamorphosis?

Because those behaviors will never be needed again.

Besides the nervous system and genes, what internal chemical factors influence behavior?

Hormones.

What physical factor regarding an animal's body shapes can influence feeding and locomotion behaviors during growth?

Changes in morphology (developing new structures).

Give an example of an animal whose morphological structural changes influence its feeding and mode of locomotion.

A butterfly vs. its larva (caterpillar).

How does a change in physical body size affect juvenile vs. adult Orinoco crocodile behavior toward caimans?

It shifts their behavior from prey to predators: juveniles are fed on by caiman, while adults feed on adult caiman.

How does the physical environment prenatally determine gender in many reptiles?

By the temperature at which the eggs are incubated.

What three things does egg incubation temperature prenatally influence in reptiles?

1) Which androgens are released,

2) the neural circuitry of the brain

3) how the animal perceives conspecifics.

Give an example of a reptile whose gender is determined by nest temperature.

Sea turtle

What is a postnatal consequence for zoo animals that lack environmental enrichment?

They demonstrate abnormal behaviors.

What two positive outcomes are seen in zoo animals provided with enrichment?

Better adjustment to captivity, and better learning and problem-solving skills.

How does a harsher environment affect a species' spatial behavior compared to less extreme areas?

Members in a harsher environment typically show a greater degree of territoriality.

Give an example of a mammal whose feeding strategies change based on seasonal environmental nature.

Bears

Besides seasons, what external factor has caused changes in bear foraging/feeding strategies?

Human influence (e.g., foraging in trash dumpsters).

Name four social factors that can influence an animal's behavior.

Social status, rearing conditions, competitors, and offspring.

Define the term "play" as used in psychology and ethology.

A range of voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities normally associated with recreational pleasure and enjoyment.

In which animal groups is play behavior primarily and secondarily found?

Primarily in mammals; also found in a number of bird species, some reptiles, and octopi.

What is Attunement Play?

Play that establishes a connection, such as between a newborn and its mother.

What is Body Play?

An activity where a young animal explores how its body works and interacts with the world.

What is Object Play?

Handling physical things in ways that use the animal's curiosity (e.g., a crow playing with pinecones or a wolf playing with a bone).

What is Social Play?

Playing with others in activities like tumbling, wrestling, or racing.

What is the main benefit of Social Play?

It allows for the building of connections with another young animal or group of young animals.

What are the three categories of benefits an animal gains from engaging in play?

Cognitive, Physical, and Social benefits.

What are the Cognitive benefits of play?

Learning skills or improving overall perceptual abilities.

What are the Physical benefits of play?

Strength/endurance training, enhancing muscular coordination, and improving reaction time.

What three social skills can conspecifics practice through play?

Sexual behavior, grooming, and food acquisition.

How does play benefit an animal's communication?

It develops the ability to read and send signals to conspecifics

What relational benefit does play provide regarding social groups?

It helps with the establishment and maintenance of social bonds.

Define "sensitive period" in animal development.

An extended period of time during development when an individual is more receptive to specific types of environmental stimuli.

Why is an individual more receptive to environmental stimuli during a sensitive period?

Because nervous system development is especially sensitive to certain sensory stimuli, making them predisposed to learning.

What original term did Konrad Lorenz use for sensitive periods?

Critical Periods.

How did Konrad Lorenz define a critical period?

A phase of susceptibility to environmental stimuli that was brief, well-defined, and would result in behavioral transformation.

List three alternative names for a sensitive period.

Sensitive phase, susceptible period, and optimal period.

What is the first precept of sensitive periods, contrasting with Lorenz's critical periods?

Sensitive periods are fairly extended (rather than short-lived).

How are the onset and termination of a sensitive period defined structurally?

They are not sharply defined, but are more gradual.

Between what entities do sensitive periods differ in duration?

Between species, between members of a species, and between functional systems.

On what does a sensitive period depend both during and after its occurrence?

The nature and intensity of environmental stimuli.

What evidence is required to confirm the existence of a sensitive period for a particular ability?

Evidence that there is a point after which the associated behavior is no longer correlated with age and ability stays at the same level.

How should individuals exposed to stimuli after a sensitive period perform compared to those exposed at the appropriate time?

Significantly worse.

Can behaviors developed during a sensitive period be reversed?

Yes, most can be altered, suppressed, or destroyed under certain conditions (such as deprivation)

How does the resilience of behaviors learned during a sensitive period compare to those learned at other times?

They are usually more resilient.

State two reasons why sensitive periods tend to occur early in life.

1) It is the only short period when they are with their parents and can learn from them

2) the nervous system is still developing and plastic

The onset of a sensitive period is initiated by an interaction between which two types of factors?

Internal factors and external factors

Give two examples of internal factors that influence the onset of a sensitive period.

Hormonal changes and nervous changes (such as the establishment of sensory/motor neuronal networks).

What are external factors influencing sensitive periods usually comprised of?

Environmental variables.

What do Pacific salmon imprint on during development, and why?

The odor of their natal stream, so they can find it again when returning to freshwater for mating.

When exactly is the sensitive period for Pacific salmon odor imprinting?

During the smoltification period, which occurs shortly after their olfactory neuronal networks have become established.

Identify the specific internal and external factors in Pacific salmon imprinting.

Internal: Establishment of olfactory neural networks.
External: Olfactory cues of the stream.

What is the "self-terminating event" hypothesis regarding the decline in sensitivity?

Learning causes changes in the nervous system that decrease plasticity, which causes the sensitive period to end

What is the "maturation process" hypothesis regarding the decline in sensitivity?

Maturation naturally results in the body being less receptive to the external factors that triggered the sensitive period.

Why do some animals have multiple sensitive periods?

This occurs with large, complex behaviors that have multiple steps; each step has its own sensitive period.

Define "imprinting."

Any type of rapid learning that occurs in a particular life stage and occurs independently of the outcome of behavior

Which animal did Konrad Lorenz use in his classic imprinting studies?

Greylag geese.

What initial imprinting phenomenon did Lorenz discover in goslings?

They bonded with the first moving object they encountered.

When is the brief sensitive period for initial imprinting in greylag geese?

About 24 hours after hatching.

What are the two distinct steps in the goose imprinting process?

1) A predisposition to approach objects that resemble conspecifics, and

2) filial imprinting.

Define "filial imprinting."

A process where a young bird learns to preferentially follow its mother and acquires several behavioral characteristics from its parent.

Through what type of exposure and stimuli do goslings learn to recognize their mother?

Repeated exposure during the sensitive period, including auditory stimuli (her calls)

Define "sexual imprinting."

The process by which a young animal learns the characteristics of a desirable mate

When does the sensitive period for sexual imprinting typically occur relative to filial imprinting?

It typically occurs after the sensitive period for filial imprinting, though there may be some overlap

What is the evolutionary advantage of sexual imprinting?

By learning family characteristics, adults choose a mate that is similar but not identical to family members, reducing the risk of inbreeding.

Define "Maternal Attachment" and name the animal group where it is especially found.

An imprinting-like behavior where a lasting bond is established between a mother and her young; found especially in ungulates (mammals).

Why is selective maternal attachment an evolutionary advantage for ungulates?

1) Young are precocial (walk early and wander away)

2) herds synchronize birthing (young are all the same age), so mothers must ensure they only care for their own.

What is the difference between "maternal responsiveness" and "maternal selectivity"?

Responsiveness: Displaying maternal behavior in the presence of her young.

Selectivity: Directing maternal behavior only toward her own offspring.

What are the exact sensitive periods for maternal responsiveness vs. selectivity in ungulates?

Responsiveness: Between parturition and 12 hours after. Selectivity: Between parturition and 1 to 2 hours after.

What external factor triggers maternal selectivity in ungulates versus seals and penguins?

Ungulates: Olfactory information about her young. Seals/Penguins: Auditory cues (recognizing the call of her offspring).

Define "brood care" and list two broad animal groups that practice it.

Parental care for large numbers of offspring (broods) in species excepting birds and mammals; includes insects (certain ants) and teleosts (cichlid family).

What are the four parental care categories found in cichlids?

1) Substrate/open brooders,

2) secretive cave brooders, and at least two types of mouth brooders:

3) ovophile mouth brooders

4) larvophile mouth brooders

Where do substrate-brooding cichlids lay their eggs?

In the open, on rocks, leaves, or logs

Contrast the male vs. female parenting roles in substrate-brooding cichlids.

Male: Patrols territory and repels intruders.
Female: Fans water over eggs, removes infertile eggs, and leads fry while foragin

When and on what stimulus do substrate-brooding cichlid parents imprint?

Shortly after birth, they imprint on the visual cue of the newly hatched young.

What factor influences male cichlid imprinting, and what happens if offspring cross territorial boundaries?

Territoriality influences male imprinting; if offspring leave the territory without the mother and try to return, the father will reject them.