Animal Behavior

Ethology - study of animal behavior

behavior - any observable activity of a living organism

action patterns are smaller units of behavior. Repeated, stereotyped clearly defined movements & postures the animal exhibits

Behavioral biology focuses on 3 questions

1. what behavior does the animal exhibit?

2. how does it exhibit these behaviors

3. why does it exhibit these behaviors

innate behavior - (nature) / natural selection. no experience (JUST DO IT)

• Innate behavior ex. babies crying for help

learned behavior - (nurture) requires experience

• genes have been identified that influence behavior

• learned behavior ex. humans hearing and being taught a language

Imprinted (learned) - designated by a certain time period when learning can occur due to rigidly wired nervous system

Habituation - a decline in response to a repeated stimulus in order to conserve energy

classical conditioning - previously unrelated stimulus causes certain behavior. The subject is conditioned to respond to the stimulus

Trial & Error Conditioning - New and appropriate responses to stimuli are acquired through experience

• animals face rewards and punishments. They then modify their behavior in response

Social Learning/Imitation - observing and copying behavior (parrots, JOSH)

insight learning - problem solving without trial and error (critical thinking)

• often, behaviors are a combination of different types of behavior.

• Behaviors performed innately can later be modified due to experience

Social Behavior

• depends how it aids the survival & reproduction of the species. Types of social benefits

  • Dominance Hierarchy

  • Territoriality

  • Altruism toward kin

Dominance Hierarchy

• an animals ranking in a group that determines its access to resources

  • ex. wolf packs having Alpha male & female | Bee jobs (queen, worker, drone)

Territoriality

• The defense of an area where important resources are located (food, water, mates)

• Territorial animals stay in their area & advertise their presence to reduce aggression

Altruism & Kin Selection

Altruism - costly or risky behavior that benefits another animal

• usually shown toward relatives in order to pass some of their shared alles

  • ex. one mearkat in a pack will act as a guard while others eat

Communication - happens between individuals of the same species to find mates, compare for resources, & to alert others

• communication can be visuals, sounds, chemical scents, or touched

Types:

Visual - things you can see. Active Signals = specific postures or movements. Passive Signals = size, shape, colors

auditory - things you can hear. Pros: works over long distance, Cons : alters predators

Chemical - pheromones = chemical signals that are released (ants) (cant quickly chance messages)

touch - helps establish social bonds