Unit 9Chapter 33Animal Behavior

What is Behavior? Behavior:

A response to a stimulus Stimulus:

An environmental change that directly influences the activity of an organism

Importance: Behavior is an adaptive value to the

organism, because natural selection favors certain behaviors

Inherited behavior

Innate behavior Genetically

inherited, automatic response

Inherited behavior Reflex

A simple response involving no conscious control

Usually acts to protect the organism from harm

Inherited behavior

Fight or flight response An automatic response controlled by

hormones that mobilizes the body for greater activity in an emergency

Inherited behavior

Instinct A complex pattern of innate behavior

that begins with the recognition of a stimulus and continues until all parts have been performed

Inherited behavior Courtship behavior

a type of instinctive behavior between the male & female that ensures reproduction

Inherited behavior

Territory A physical space an

animal defends against another member of its species

Reduces competition among members of the same species

Inherited behavior

Aggressive behavior Used to intimidate

another animal of the same species, delivers the message to keep away

Ex: bird’s songs, teeth baring, growling

Inherited behavior Dominance hierarchy

A form of social ranking in a group in which some individuals are more subordinate

Usually has one top-ranking individual, who may lead others to food, shelter, etc

Inherited behavior

Circadian rhythm Light-regulated behavior, based on

24-hour cycle of the day May determine when an animal

sleeps and wakes

Inherited behavior

Migration The instinctive,

seasonal movement of animals

Response may be to both temperature change and hormones

Inherited behavior

Hibernation

A state in which the body temperature drops, oxygen consumption decreases, and breathing rates decline

Purpose is to conserve energy (the “summer” version is called

estivation)

What is learned behavior?

Learned behavior: Occurs when the behavior changes through

practice or experience Has survival value because it allows the

animal to adapt to change in its environment

Kinds of Learned Behavior

Habituation Occurs when an

animal is repeatedly given a stimulus not associated with any punishment or reward

An animal becomes habituated when it finally ceases to respond to the stimulus

Kinds of Learned Behavior

Imprinting When an animal

forms a social attachment to another animal or object

Usually occurs early in life and allows the animal to recognize its mother and others of its species

Konrad Lorenz & “friends”

Kinds of Learned Behavior

Trial & error learning When an animal gets a reward for

making a particular response (an animal tries one

solution and then another in the course of obtaining the reward)

Kinds of Learned Behavior

Classical conditioning Learning by

association (may be

associated to a reward, punishment, or other motivation)

Pavlov’s dogs

Kinds of Learned Behavior

Insight Learning in which the

animal uses previous experience to respond to a new situation

Kinds of Learned Behavior

Communication An exchange of information that

results in a change of behavior They may signal each other by sound,

sights, touches or smells

Ants following a “pheromone” trail

Bee dance communicatingdistance & direction of food source

The whale’s song

Kinds of Learned Behavior Language

The use of symbols to represent ideas Primarily in animals with complex

nervous systems, memory and insight

Koko &Lucy