Animal Behavior

Question 1

Ethology

Answer 1

Study of animal behavior

Question 2

Behavior definition

Answer 2

Action performed in response to stimulus (circular def, sorry)

Question 3

Stimulus definition

Answer 3

Something that elicits a response (circular def, sorry)

Question 4

There are 12 stimuli, list a few

Answer 4

1. Sight
2. Touch
3. Smell
4. Taste
5. Sound
6. Heat
7. Light
8. Chemicals
9. Humidity
10. Vibration
11. Color
12. Gravity
13. Pressure
14. Presence of another animal

Question 5

External stimulus

Answer 5

Something outside the animal
- Sound, sight, smell, etc
- Presence of another animal

Question 6

Internal stimulus

Answer 6

Something inside the animal
- Hunger, fatigue, feeling cold
- Hormones

Question 7

Fixed Action Pattern (FAP)

Answer 7

• A highly stereotypical, innate behavior that cont to completion after initiation by external stimulus
• Considered to be hardwired and innate, meaning they do not require learning or experience to be performed

Question 8

Anthropomorphism

Answer 8

Attributing human emotions to animals

Question 9

T/F: Animals have emotions, but not necessarily the same as ours

Answer 9

True!

Question 10

Behavior development: Natural selection

Answer 10

An animal that successfully completes a helpful behavior that survives to pass on the behavior to offspring.
- Those who give genes fit the conditions survive.

Question 11

Behavior development: Innate behavior

Answer 11

Appear fully functional form when first performed
- Web building, suckling, bird begging
- Nest building, some bird songs
- Herding

Question 12

Behavior development: Learning (2)

IMPORTANT

Answer 12

1. Development of behaviors thru experience
2. Determines final shape of innate behaviors

Question 13

Behavior development:
Learning
List the 6 types

Answer 13

1. Imprinting
2. Habituation
3. Classical conditioning
4. Operant conditioning
5. Reasoning
6. Sensitization

Question 14

Imprinting learning: (3)

Answer 14

1. Both innate & learned
2. Occurs only during a critical time frame
3. Once learned, cannot be changed

Question 15

Habituation learning:

Answer 15

Animal learns to ignore frequent, harmless stimulus.

Ex: Like how you do with the phones ringing at work

Question 16

Sensitization learning:

Answer 16

Increased response to stimuli with increased exposure
- Nail trim
- Submissive urination

Question 17

Classical conditioning learning:

Answer 17

Animal learns to associate unrelated response with a stimulus
- Pavlov’s experiment
- Bell rings -> food -> salivation
- Bell rings -> salivation even without food present

Question 18

Operant conditioning learning: (3)

Answer 18

1. Animal learns to behave in a certain way thru repeated practice
2. Trial & error learning: animal tests conditions for desired response
3. Types: Pos/Neg reinforcement; Pos/Neg punishment (4 total)

Question 19

The types of operant conditioning:
Positive reinforcement

Answer 19

Give good item for good behavior

Question 20

The types of operant conditioning:
Positive punishment

Answer 20

Give bad item for bad behavior

Question 21

The types of operant conditioning:
Negative reinforcement

Answer 21

Remove a bad item for good behavior

Question 22

The types of operant conditioning:
Negative punishment

Answer 22

Remove good item for bad behavior

Question 23

Foraging behavior

Answer 23

• Feeding
• Locate, obtain, & consume food

Question 24

Parental care behavior

Answer 24

• Ensuring survival of young
• Carrying, nursing, cuddling, holding young, guarding

Question 25

Courtship behavior

Answer 25

- Attracting a mate - Courtship displays, bright feathers, songs - Vocalizations, head butting, fighting

Question 26

Reproductive behavior

Answer 26

- Mating - Giving birth

Question 27

Offensive/Defensive behavior

Answer 27

- Aggression, submissive behavior - Defense from aggressors - Ex: hiding, fighting, escape, threatening

Question 28

Territorial behavior

Answer 28

- Protect a resource for exclusive use - Protection of mate/offspring - Space, food, or water source

Question 29

Social behavior

Answer 29

- Work to create alliances - Help the group: a. Grooming, babysitting b. Defense of musk ox young c. Play, play fight

Question 30

Migratory

Answer 30

Moving to a more suitable environment as seasons change. - Dry vs rainy seasons - Winter vs summer This can be done for breeding, browers & birds

Question 31

Communication behavior

Answer 31

Signaling between one animal & another - Greeting - Alarm - Aggression - Non aggression - Grooming - Vocalizations

Question 32

Curiosity behavior

Answer 32

Investigating new stimuli

Question 33

Elimination behavior

Answer 33

Urination, defecation, vomiting

Question 34

Resting behavior

Answer 34

Sleeping, basking

Question 35

PLAY! behavior

Answer 35

Practice for life - Hunting - Defense - Courtship **This is a luxury for animal with ample food. Give any animal a toy, & it will play!!