Animal Behaviour

Umwelt

this means point of view of a particular animal

-each animal senses the environment in its own way

-Self centered subjective world

comparative psychology

the study of general rules of behaviour that apply both to humans and other animals

Ethology

the study of animal behaviour in natural environments

Behavioural ecology

the study of evolutionary and environmental context of animal behaviour and how behaviour maximizes reproductive or evolutionary success

Sociobiology

term for using ethology to study social behaviour

Chemical cues

this lets animals convey messages to one another

by pheromones sensed by antennae or jacobson's organ

Mechanoreception

this lets animals convey/receive messages by detection of sound, touch, electroreception

Visual displays

these are visual messages animals send and receive

-body language

-Aposematic coloration

aposematic coloration

term for Bright warning colors in animals with a chemical defense.

Stereotyped behaviour

term for the continuous repetition of simple acts such as gnawing, rearing, or head bobbing

-egg retrieval pattern in greylag geese

-sign stimulus (particular aspect of the releaser; sound, shape, color)

-territorial behaviour

Innate behaviour

behaviour based on genetic or epigenetic constitution

-spider webs

-herding dogs

Instincts

term for nervous system reinforcing a subset of behaviour and these modes are eventually genetically stabilized

learned behaviour

behaviour of an individual organism not common to all members of its species and which is acquired by experience

-Habituation

-sensitization

Habituation

an organism's decreasing response to a stimulus with repeated exposure to it

Sensitization

an increase in behavioral response after exposure to a stimulus

Imprinting

this is a learned behaviour.

-process by which certain animals form strong attachments during an early-life critical period

Monogamy

this means only one mate

Polygamy

this means many mates

-many females (polygyny)

-many males (polyandry)

Socially coordinated behaviour

when an individual adjusts its actions to the presence of others in order to increase its own reproductive success

Cooperative behaviour

when an individual performs activities that benefit others

-behavior ultimately benefits the individual's genetic contribution to future generations

Aggression

when offensive physical actions or threats are used to intimidate competitors

Agonistic behaviours

term for any activities involving Fighting and aggressive displays between members of the same species

Territoriality

term for individual defending a fixed area from intruders

-Agonistic behaviour

Ritualized threat displays

displays that prevent actual injury or death due to a mutual understanding of aggression

-Agonistic behaviour

dominance hierarchy

ordering of individuals within a group in which group members with lower status defer to those with greater status

-Agonistic behaviour

Altruism

term for unselfish regard for the welfare of others

social aggregation

term for the tendency of individuals to come together and form groups for various reasons, ranging from small pairs to large herds

Eusociality

An extreme form of sociality in which there is cooperative brood care, division of labor, and overlapping generations.

Animal congnition

term for mental function including perception thinking and memory