4. Proximate and Ultimate Mechanisms

Question 1

Tinbergen’s Four Questions

Answer 1

Causation, Development, Evolution, Function

Question 2

Causation is?

Answer 2

What are the mechanisms? What are the immediate stimuli that cause the behavior? Think anatomical and physiological

Question 3

Development is…

Answer 3

How does the behavior develop? Think genetic/developmentally

Question 4

Evolution/Phylogenetic

Answer 4

How did it evolve?

Question 5

Function / Survival Value

Answer 5

What is it’s purpose or survival value?

Question 6

What is a Proximate cause?

Answer 6

How does the behavior occur?What causes the behavior here and now?

Question 7

What is a ultimate cause?

Answer 7

What caused the behavior to evolve? Why did it evolve? For what purpose?

Question 8

Which two of Tinbergen’s Four Questions can be labeled as proximate?

Answer 8

Causation & Development

Question 9

Which two of Tinbergen’s Four Questions can be labeled as ultimate?

Answer 9

Function & Evolution

Question 10

Tinbergen Example: Why does a dog wag its tail?

Answer 10

Causation: Sensory cells detect a human and the CNS sends impulses that activate the dogs muscles.

Development: Tail sagging is genetically programmed but dog learns to identify his companions.

Evolution: Long ago, tail wagging occurred sporadically when dogs interacted and was modified overtime into a signal during greetings.

Function: Tail wagging signals the dog’s friendly intentions toward its social group, fostering its membership and its survival and reproduction.

Question 11

Evolution of Vertebrate NS

Answer 11

Brain became more divided structurally & functionally.

Increased capacity for complex integration.

Forebrain in birds and mammals became much larger.

Question 12

Measures of the brain & complex thought

Answer 12

Greater complexity & more complex thought evolved with cephalization.

Larger overall brain size relative to body size.

Increased development of the forebrain, or cerebrum, which is associated with more sophisticated and complex behaviors.

Increase convolution of the cerebrum: more folds in the cortex & this an increase in surface area of the cerebrum.

Question 13

Cephalization

Answer 13

Clustering of neurons in a brain near the front end of the animal

Question 14

What’re the vertebrate brain’s three divisions?

Answer 14

Hindbrain, Midbrain, & Forebrain

Question 15

Hindbrain

Answer 15

Medulla, Pons, & Cerebellum

Question 16

Medulla

Answer 16

Involuntary acts, like breath & blood pressure regulation. This is a relatively primitive region.

Question 17

Pons

Answer 17

Links cerebellum with other brain centers and regulates things like breathing.

Question 18

Cerebellum

Answer 18

Motor control, motor learning, balance, & coordination

Question 19

Midbrain

Answer 19

Receives & integrates sensory information (audio/visual processing) & sends it taking to the forebrain.

Question 20

Forebrain

Answer 20

Relays sensory information & connects components of the endocrine system with the nervous system. Encompasses cerebral cortex which is responsible for sensory function, motor function, and higher order reasoning.

Question 21

Thalamus

Answer 21

Integrates sensory information

Question 22

Hypothalamus

Answer 22

Homeostasis: Maintaining a constant internal environment regardless of changing external conditions

Regulates hormone levels

Question 23

Limbic System

Answer 23

Central to some behaviors that distinguish mammals from most reptiles & amphibians

Responsible for extended nurturing of infants & emotional bonding to other individuals

Question 24

Limbic System consists of…

Answer 24

Amygdala & Hippocampus

Question 25

Hippocampus

Answer 25

Learning & memory

Question 26

Amygdala

Answer 26

Processing & memory of emotional reactions

Question 27

Frontal Lobe

Answer 27

Decision making, planning, & motor control

Question 28

Temporal Lobe

Answer 28

Hearing, Speech, Emotion, and memory

Question 29

Occipital Lobe

Answer 29

Visual

Question 30

Parietal Lobe

Answer 30

Somatosensory & sensory integration

Question 31

Neural Plasticity Chickadee Example

Answer 31

Chickadees store food at high levels in fall/winter and low levels in spring/summer. Memory for cache sites is hippocampus dependent & thus the recruitment of new neurons and the total size of the hippocampus changes seasonally.

Question 32

The nervous system & endocrine system are...

Answer 32

...connected.

Question 33

Pituitary Gland

Answer 33

Stimulates other glands to produce hormones & is regulated by the hypothalamus.

Question 34

Hormones affect...

Answer 34

...gene expression & protein synthesis in the target cell.

Question 35

What can hormones do?

Answer 35

Trigger behavior, modify behavior, & affect an animal’s development and development of behavior.

Question 36

Testosterone’s effect on reproductive behavior

Answer 36

Promotes sperm production, activated sexual behavior, suppressed immune system, & stimulates aggressive behavior.

Question 37

Males with low testosterone are...

Answer 37

...less aggressive, less sexually active, & provide more parental care.