1. Animal Behavior

2. What is Behavior? Behavior: Stimulus: Importance:
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

3. Inherited behavior Innate behavior
Genetically inherited, automatic response

4. Inherited behavior 1. Reflex
A simple response involving no conscious control
Usually acts to protect the organism from harm

5. Inherited behavior 2. Fight or flight response
An automatic response controlled by hormones that mobilizes the body for greater activity in an emergency

6. 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

7. Inherited behavior 3. Courtship behavior
a type of instinctive behavior between the male & female that ensures reproduction

8. Inherited behavior Territory
A physical space an animal defends against another member of its species
Reduces competition among members of the same species

9. 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

10. 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

11. Inherited behavior Circadian rhythm
Light-regulated behavior, based on 24-hour cycle of the day
May determine when an animal sleeps and wakes

12. Inherited behavior 4. Migration
The instinctive, seasonal movement of animals
Response may be to both temperature change and hormones

13. 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)

14. What is 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

15. 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

16. 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”

17. 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)

18. Kinds of Learned Behavior
1. Classical conditioning
Learning by association
(may be associated to a reward, punishment, or other motivation)

19. Pavlov’s dogs

20. Kinds of Learned Behavior
2. Insight
Learning in which the animal uses previous experience to respond to a new situation

21. 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

22. Bee dance communicating
distance & direction of food source
Ants following a
“pheromone” trail
The whale’s song

23. Kinds of Learned Behavior
3. Language
The use of symbols to represent ideas
Primarily in animals with complex nervous systems, memory and insight
Koko
&
Lucy