1. Chapter 51
Behavioral Biology

2. Introduction to Behavior and Behavioral Ecology
Behavior - what an animal does and how it does it
Nature vs. Nurture - theory as to how the genes and the environment influence phenotypic (appearance) traits, including behavioral ones
Innate behavior - developmentally fixed behavior performed from birth

3. Etholgy - First Behavioral Science
Etholgy - science that tried to understand how a variety of animals behave in their natural habitats
Fixed Action Pattern - sequence of behavioral acts that is unchanged and is usually carried out to its completion
Sign Stimulus - triggers an FAP.
Supernormal Stimulus - artificial stimulus that may illicit stronger responses than natural stimuli

4. Ethology (con’t)
Example of FAP and Sign Stimulus where a Greylag Goose is retrieving a lost egg.
FAP: rolls egg back to nest using a side to side head motion
Sign Stimulus: the appearance of an oval object near its nest.

5. Behavioral Ecology
Behavioral Ecology - assumes animals increase fitness (ability to produce offspring) through optimal behavior
Songbird repertoires
Optimal Foraging practices
feeding on specific items to maximize energy consumption while balancing energy loss

6. Learning Learning - experienced-based modification of behavior
language
Maturation - development of a neuromuscular system that allows for behavioral improvement
flying

7. Learning (con’t)
Habituation - learning to ignore irrelevant stimuli or stimuli that convey little or no information
Imprinting - learning that is limited to a specific time in an animal’s life; usually irreversible
critical period - limited phase in an individual animal’s development when learning of particular behaviors takes place

8. Associative Learning
Associative Learning - associating one stimulus with another
classical conditioning - associate an arbitrary stimulus with a reward or punishment
operant conditioning - trial and error learning

9. Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov sprayed powdered meat into dogs’ mouths, causing them to salivate. Just before spraying, he exposed the dog’s to a bell or ring. Eventually, the dogs started to salivate when hearing the ring or bell, which they learned to associate with the normal stimulus, the meat.

10. Operant Conditioning
B.F. Skinner used the “Skinner Box” to study the effects of positive reinforcement. Rats had to manipulate a lever, discovered by accident, to release a small pellet of food. The rat quickly leans to associate the manipulation of the lever with a food reward.

11. Skinner Box

12. Animal Cognition
Cognition - ability of an animal’s nervous system to perceive, store, process, and use information gathered by sensory receptors.
Kinesis - change in activity rate in response to stimulus
taxis - movement toward or away stimulus
1) Migration - regular movements over large distances
2) Piloting - movement from one landmark to another

13. Social Behavior and Sociobiology
Social Behavior - interactions between two or more animals, usually in the same species
aggression, courtship, cooperation, deception
Agonistic Behavior - contest of threatening and submissive behavior that determines witch competitor gains access to resources
Courtship Behavior - activities that ensure the potential mate is the proper sex, species, and physiological condition

14. Social Behavior and Sociobiology (con’t)
Territory - defend areas used for feeding, mating or rearing young
Communication - intentional transmission of information between individuals
pheromones - chemical signals emitted during sexual activity, mark food places, and territories

15. Social Behavior and Sociobiology (con’t)
Mating Systems
Promiscuous - no strong pair bonds or lasting relationships
Monogamous - one male one female
Polygamous - individual of one sex mates with several of the other “sowing the wild oats”
Polygyny - one male with many females
Polyandry - one female with many males