Animal Behavior pt 7-8

Attunement play

establishes a connection, such as between newborn and mother.

body play

a young animal explores the ways in which his or her body works and interacts with the world. ex: dog chasing tail

object play

young animal plays with items in its environment. involves handling physical things in ways that use the animal’s curiosity

social play

playing with others in activities such as tumbling, wrestling, or racing.

Advantages of Play:

1. cognitive

2. physical

3. social

Sensitive period

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

imprinting

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

filial imprinting

young animal learns who its mother is

sexual imprinting

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

maternal attachment

sort of imprinting-like behavior in which a lasting bond is established between a mother and her young.

maternal selectivity

directing maternal behavior only towards her own offspring

maternal responsiveness

display of maternal behavior when in the presence of her young.

brood care

parental care having a large number of offspring

Endogenous

Biological clocks must be able to control metabolic cycles even in the absence of environmental cues

“free running”

duration of a biological rhythm in the absence of environmental cues

entrainment

occurs when rhythmic physiological or behavioral events match their period and phase to that of an environmental oscillation.

• helps to keep the biological clock on schedule and avoids the effects of free running

circadian rhythms

24 hour cycles

diurnal

daytime active

nocturnal

night time active

crepuscular

active at dawn and dusk

ultradian rhythms

rhythms that have a period shorter than 24 hours.

• are endogenous and entrainable

ex: respiration, heartbeat and sleep patterns

Infradian rhythm

rhythm with a period longer than the period of a circadian rhythm. are endogenous and entrainable.

ex: menstruation cycles, tidal

circalunar

rhythms that are synchronized to the waxing and waning of the moon that forms a lunar month

• lasts 29.5 days

ex: Atlantic fireworms

circa-tidal

cycles synchronized by the tides

circannual rhythyms

synchronized with a 365 day year.

ex: body weight, gonad size, nest building activity, antler shedding

hypothalamus

main visceral control center of the brain

superchiasmatic nuclei

cells making up the master biological clock which controls all rhythmic processes in the animal.

pineal gland

where photoreceptors are located