LEARNED & INNATE BEHAVIORS

BEHAVIOR STIMULUS- Something in the environment to which an organism will respond.

BEHAVIOR BEHAVIOR- the way an organism responds to its environment.

BEHAVIOR  T his is one aspect of adaptation that improves an organism’s chances to survive and reproduce.

2 TYPES OF BEHAVIOR LEARNED BEHAVIOR INNATE BEHAVIOR

oBehavior that is present and complete without the need for experience. obehaviors present at birth. othe instinctive, fixed, unchanging behavior that is inherited.

INNATE BEHAVIORS Reflex- a simple, immediate, involuntary response by a part of the body to a particular stimulus.

INNATE BEHAVIORS Fight-or Flight- mobilizes your body for greater activity. Heart rate increase, blood supply to muscle. Controlled by internal chemical mechanisms.

INNATE BEHAVIORS Instinct- A complex behavior. Takes more time than a reflex. Courtship Behavior Territorial Aggressive Behavior Dominance Hierarchy Migration, Hibernation, Estivation Circadian rhythm

Courtship Behaviors A specific behavior or series of behaviors that take place prior to mating. Could involve sound, smell, visual display…

Territorial Behavior A territory is a physical space an animal defends against other members of its species. May contain breeding area, feeding area, and potential mates, or all three Although it may not appear so, setting up territories actually reduces conflicts, controls population growth, and provides for efficient use of animal resources.

Aggressive Behavior Aggressive behavior is used to intimidate another animal of the same species. Animals fight or threaten one another in order to defend their young, their territory, or a resource such as food. Includes behaviors such as bird calling, teeth baring, or growling. Using symbolic and not fighting till death

Dominance Hierarchy Dominance Hierarchy is a from of social ranking within a group in which some individuals are more subordinate than others. ….The ability to form a dominance hierarchy is innate, but the position each animals assumes may be learned. Pecking order Alpha Male

Circadian Rhythm Circadian Rhythm. Is an instinctive behavior that is exhibited in animals in response to internal, biological rhythms. Can be based on 24 hours or seasonal

Migration, Hibernation, and Estivation We all know what migration and hibernation is…

Migration, Hibernation, and Estivation What is estivation? Estivation is an innate instinctive behavior that some animals that live in extreme heat have developed.

Estivation Estivation is another form of torpor, dormancy, or "sleep". Animals that estivate are trying to escape things happening in their environment. Estivationtorpor environment This happens in hot, desert climates where heat and water are so important to the animals that live there. Estivation protects these animals from high temperatures and drought.drought

Estivation Breathing and heartbeat get very slow. The animal doesn't need as much food and water to live since food is fuel for energy and they aren't using much. Reptiles use 90-95% less energy when they are estivating. Animals don't move, grow or eat during this time.

LEARNED BEHAVIOR - not inherited, but flexible and can be changed. –take place through experience or practice.

EXAMPLES OF LEARNED BEHAVIORS Mimicry Habituation Imprinting Trial & Error Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning Insight Learning

EXAMPLES OF LEARNED BEHAVIORS MIMICRY – when one organism makes a resemblance to another species.

MIMICRY –Hawk Moth Mimicry This moth caterpillar defends itself by mimicking a snake.

MIMICRY This butterfly has adapted to mimic a dead leaf, a shape so inedible and common a predator would not notice it.

MIMICRY This Katydid has adapted to mimic a leaf in both color and shape.

MIMICRY Many prey animals have found ways to startle a predator and reduce their chances of being eaten. Some butterflies and moths flash eye spots on their wings, false eyes which suggest a much larger animal. Some caterpillars play the same trick.

MIMICRY

From left to right are the Common Wasp, Vespula vulgaris, and some of its mimics - the Hornet Moth, Sesia apiformis, the Wasp Beetle, Clytus arietis, and the Hoverfly, Syrphus ribesii.

IMPRINTING The quick early learning of a behavior that becomes a permanent response to a particular stimulus. A significant innate component during a limited critical period

Who’s your momma?

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING A pioneer in the study of Learned Behavior Ivan Pavlov Classical Conditioning

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING An animals reflexes are trained to respond to a new stimulus. Learning by association Experiment- Dog and Bell.

OPERANT CONDITIONING BF Skinner Did his work in the ’s

OPERANT CONDITIONING Takes place when an animals learns to behave in a certain way through repeated practice, in order to receive a reward or avoid punishment. Trial and Error “Skinner Box”

Trial and Error A type of learning in which an animal receives a reward for making a particular response

HABITUATION Loss of responsiveness due to an unimportant stimulus. OR to stimuli that do not provide appropriate feedback.

HABITUATION Horse to sounds Snail to touch Gray squirrels to respond to “attack ”

Insight The most complicated form of learning is insight learning. When an animal applies something it has already learned to a new situation with a period of trial and error. You working a “new” math problem you have never worked…but apply principles you have already learned in class to solve it correctly. Common among humans and other primates.

BEHAVIORS Keep in mind that there is NOT always a clear cut line between behaviors that are learned v/s those that are innate. Many behaviors involve a little of both. Nature v/s Nurture Theory. Social, Sexual, parental skills, etc

COMMUNICATION Many behaviors that animals do involve interactions with other animals--- Communication Humans-Language Sound Body Language Smell…Pheromones

PHEROMONES Chemicals released by many different animals as a form of communication Mating Warning Protection