Innate and Learned Behaviors in Animals

Stickleback Fish Behavior

• Male Stickleback Fish

• Bright red underbellies (signifies male) vs. silver bellies of females.

• Males recognize other males by their red bellies.

• Highly territorial; males defend territory for mating and food access.

• Aggressive Behavior

• Red belly acts as a sign stimulus for aggression.

• Experiment: Males react aggressively not just towards other males, but also any flash of red.

• Understand proximate (visual trigger) and ultimate (mating success, survival) causes of territorial aggression.

Migration

• Definition: Movement based on environmental cues.
• Common Examples:
• Birds migrate seasonally.
• Triggers can include sunlight, Earth's magnetic field, and celestial cues.

Signals in Animal Communication

• Definition: Stimulus transmitted from one animal to another (animal communication).

• Forms of Signals:

• Visual signals (e.g., mating dances).

• Auditory signals (e.g., bird songs).

• Tactile signals (e.g., touch communication).

• Electrical signals.

• Chemical signals (e.g., pheromones).

• Pheromones:

• Chemicals emitted to influence behavior of other species members.

Stimulus-Response Chains

• Definition: Responses to stimuli create chains of actions.
• Example: Courtship behaviors often show these patterns.

Waggle Dance of Honeybees

• Definition: A method of communication through body movements, particularly post-foraging.
• Process:
• Worker bees form a figure-eight dance after returning to hive.
• The angle of the waggle indicates the direction to food based on sun’s position.

Directed Movements

• Types of Movements:
• Kinesis: Random movement (non-directional) in response to a stimulus.
  • Example: Insects turning randomly until they find food.
• Taxis: Directional movement towards or away from a stimulus.
  • Phototaxis: Movement in response to light (e.g., cockroaches run away from light).
  • Chemotaxis: Movement in response to chemicals (e.g., insects’ reactions to pheromones).
  • Geotaxis: Movement in response to gravity (common in plants).

Proximate vs. Ultimate Causes

• Fixed Action Patterns (Stickleback Case):
• Proximate cause: Red belly.
• Ultimate cause: Increased chance of mating and food access leading to higher survival and reproduction rates.

Learned Behaviors

• Definition: Modification of behavior through specific experiences.

• Examples:

• Imprinting: Long-lasting behavioral response typically occurring during sensitive developmental periods.

  • Proximate cause: First individual ducklings see (usually mother).
  • Ultimate cause: Following mom results in food, protection, and increased survival.

• Spatial Learning:

  • Developing memories based on surroundings (e.g., birds’ nests).
  • Cognitive maps assist in finding resources.

• Associative Learning:

  • Associating features, like foul-tasting monarch butterflies, with specific experiences.

• Social Learning:

  • Learning through observation and imitation (e.g., chimpanzees learning to open palm nuts).

Example: Ducklings and Proximate and Ultimate Causes for Imprinting

• Proximate Cause: Observing and following the mother as a stimulus.
• Ultimate Cause: Enhanced survival chances through protection and food availability when following the mom.