Lecture 5 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the behavioural ecology meaning of recognition?

A

To classify objects or other animals appropriately on first encounter
Can be innate or learned
Increases fitness of learners

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2
Q

Habituation

A

Decrease in response of an unconditioned stimulus resulting from repeated stimulation
Non-associative learning
Can range from a single reflex to the behaviour of a whole animal
Primitive form of learning
Widespread form of behavioural plasticity
Changes behaviour so time and energy not wasted

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3
Q

What determines habituation?

A
  1. Timing of stimulations: shorter intervals often result in more habituation
  2. Quality of the stimulus: how easily is the stimulus perceived, and what exactly is the response
  3. Number of stimulations: responses are less noticeable with increasing number
  4. Timing of testing: more time between habituation and testing allows dishabituation
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4
Q

Adaptive value of habituation

A

Don’t waste time responding to stimuli that doesn’t need to be responded to

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5
Q

Perceptual learning (mechanism of recognition learning)

A

Learning the characteristics of stimuli as distinct from learning their relationship to other stimuli
Perceptive learning both associative and discriminative
Involves relatively long-lasting improvement in performing perceptual tasks as a function of experience and practice
Common in higher vertebrates

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6
Q

Imprinting

A

Phase sensitive learning that occurs at a particular stage or life stage that is rapid and apparently independent of the consequences of behaviour
Provides an animal with information on who they are and who they should mate/mix with
Important for social bonding

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7
Q

Influences on imprinting

A

Duration of exposure
Type of stimulus
The ‘sensitive period’
Quite irreversible

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8
Q

Model of imprinting

A

Bateson 1990
Analysis of stimuli
Recognition of similar traits, linking traits
Execution e.g. choose mate with similar traits

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9
Q

Two forms of imprinting

A
  1. Filial imprinting: a newborn animal acquired behavioural characteristics from another animal
  2. Sexual imprinting: the process by which a young animal learns the characteristics of a desirable mate
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10
Q

Sexual imprinting

A

Tearing environment influences mate choice
Choosing a mate with a similar phenotype to a parent allows accurate assortative mating
However, at sexual maturity individuals can be repelled by individuals with a similar phenotype, to promote outbreeding
Better described as a set of processes involved in acquisition of sexual preferences

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11
Q

How might imprinting lead to speciation?

A
  • Indigobirds are obligate brood parasites of African finch species
  • Species show very specific host preferences
  • Birds, as adults, have partly the same songs as their hosts
  • If this song, and preference for the song in mates, is learned through imprinting, then imprinting may drive speciation
  • Birds will reject their own species in favour of a host species
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