Animal Behavior Animal Behavior

Animal Behavior Types of Behavior Behavior Communication Stimulus a way an organism interacts with other organisms and its environment. Communication An exchange of information Stimulus anything in the environment that causes a reaction Innate Behavior A behavior that an organism is born with

Reflex- An automatic response that does not involve the brain Ex. Yawning, shivering, and sneezing A draft of cold air makes you shiver. Reflex – simplest type of innate behavior Innate Behavior Insects exhibit this behavior Kittiwake chicks stand still as soon as they hatch When a baby whale is born, its mother immediately pushes it to the surface for its first breath Innate behaviors must be right the first time an animal responds to a stimulus or they might die.

Instinct – A complex pattern of innate behavior Baby sea turtles head straight for the water as soon as they hatch Learned Behavior- 4 types: 1) Imprinting 2) Trial & Error 3) Conditioning 4) Insight

Learning-A behavior that develops through experience Ex. A child learns to play the piano. ( learned behavior) Ex. Your dog is waiting for you as you are getting off the bus from school. Imprinting- Ex. When ducklings follow the mother duck Ex. KonradLorenza was working with geese Gosling (baby goose) will follow the first moving thing it sees after hatching.

Trial and Error-behavior that is modified by experience Insight – when past experiences are used to solve problems Conditioning – behavior is modified to respond to other stimuli Ivan P. Pavlov Scientists famous for his conditioning experiments. He used food and a bell

Behavioral Interactions Instinctive Behavior patterns Inherited Social Behavior Interactions among members of the same species Live in groups (protection) Types of social behavior Courtship and Mating Caring for young Territorial Protection of the group Getting food

Courtship Behavior- Behavior animals perform before mating Ex. Fireflies lighting up / frogs croaking/birds singing Societies Members of species living and working together in an organized way

Territorial Behavior Aggression Submission Territory A forceful act to dominate or control Ex. Dog w/a bone growls at another dog Submission postures that make an animal seem smaller. When a puppy rolls over on its back. Territory An area that an animal defends from other members of its same species

Communication Communication is an exchange of information Courtship- Some examples of communication Courtship Aggression Pheromones Submission Courtship- Behavior that animals perform to attract a mate. Behavior that animals perform before mating. Ex. A male peacock raises and displays his tail feathers while performing a courtship dance

Pheromones Chemicals released by an animal Chemical released by one animal to influence the behavior of another animal Ex. released by both sexes to attract mates Ex. Released to mark territories (dog urinating) Ex. Released to mark a trail (ants) Ex. Released to warn of predators

Cyclic Behavior Circadian Rhythm – Behavior based on a 24 hour cycle Migration – Instinctive seasonal movement