Aggression and play Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is the main difference between aggression and predation?
Aggression is a defensive posture or competition, not predation
List the main reasons animals show aggression.
Defence, reproduction/parental care, inter- and intra-specific competition, territoriality, and dominance.
What are olfactory aggression signals?
Chemical signals like “stink fights” in lemurs, where scent marks drive away opponents.
How do animals use auditory signals to show aggression?
Through calls/songs like bird songs, frog croaks, or howler monkey vocalisations that reflect size or status.
How do red deer signal aggression?
Using visual (antlers), auditory (roars), and olfactory (pre-orbital gland secretions) cues during rutting.
How does aggression play a role in reproduction?
Males may coerce females (e.g. baboons), and aggression can maintain mating access.
How can parental aggression be beneficial?
It reduces sibling rivalry and encourages independence, as seen in adult moorhens pushing away chicks.
What is kleptoparasitism?
A form of interspecific competition where animals steal food or resources from others.
What is ritualised fighting?
A restrained form of intraspecific combat that avoids serious injury, often with staged displays.
What are dominance hierarchies?
Social rankings where dominant individuals have priority access to resources.
In macaques, what determines female dominance?
Matrilineal status—rank is inherited from the mother, not based on age.
Why do territory owners usually win disputes?
They are often stronger, have more to lose, and know the territory better.
What is an example of intergroup conflict over space?
Ants raiding rival nests to kidnap and enslave offspring.
What is mobbing behaviour?
Birds aggressively harass predators with alarm calls and swooping attacks to protect themselves or their offspring.
Why is play hard to define?
s an ambiguous behaviour not easily classified, but recognisable when seen
What are the three types of animal play?
Object play, locomotor play, and social play.
What is object play?
Manipulating inanimate objects to explore what they can do (e.g., sea lions with balls).
What is locomotor play?
Running, leaping, spinning—provides exercise and improves motor skills.
What is social play?
Play with others—develops relationships, physical coordination, and cognitive skills.
What function does play serve in development?
It builds physical and psychological flexibility, helping animals cope with surprise or stress.
What is cerebellum synaptogenesis and how is it related to play?
Formation of neural connections in the cerebellum—play stimulates this, enhancing coordination and movement.
How does play fighting work in squirrel monkeys?
Occurs with same-sex partners; dominant animals may reverse roles to sustain play.
What evidence supports play improving wellbeing?
Animals in captivity (e.g., a pig named Pigface) show reduced self-destructive behaviour when given toys.
