animal behavior

Question 1

an action carried out by muscles under control of the nervous system

Answer 1

behavior

Answer 2

-what stimulus elicits the behavior, and what physiological mechanisms mediate the response?
-how does the animal’s experience during growth and development influence the response?
-how does the behavior aid survival and reproduction?
-What is the behavior’s evolutionary history?

Question 3

maximizes an individual’s fitness

Answer 3

optimal behaviors

Question 4

the study of ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior

Answer 4

behavioral ecology

Question 5

addresses “how” a behavior occurs or is modified, including Tinbergen’s questions 1 and 2

Answer 5

proximate causation

Question 6

addresses “why” a behavior occurs in the context of natural selection, including Tinbergen’s questions 3 and 4

Answer 6

ultimate causation

Question 7

a sequence of unlearned acts directly linked to a simple stimulus

Answer 7

fixed action pattern

Question 8

causation example

Answer 8

-fish breed in the spring
-proximate causation: triggered by day length
-ultimate causation: breeding is most successful when food is present and temperature is optimal

Question 9

trigger for a behavior is an external cue

Answer 9

sign stimulus

Question 10

a regular long distance change in location

Answer 10

migration

Question 11

an internal mechanism that maintains a 24 hour activity rhythm or cycle

Answer 11

circadian clock

Question 12

behavioral rhythms linked to the yearly cycle of seasons

Answer 12

circannual rhythms

Question 13

stimulus transmitted from one organism to another

Answer 13

signal

Question 14

transmission and reception of signals between animals constitutes

Answer 14

communication

Question 15

Fruit Fly Courtship

Answer 15

1. A male identifies a female of the same species
   -Chem comm.: he smells a female’s chemicals in the air
   -Visual comm.: he sees the female and orients his body towards hers
2. The male alerts the female to his presence
   -Tactile comm.: he taps the female w a foreleg
   -Chem. comm.: he chemically confirms the female’s identity
3. The male produces a courtship song to inform the female of his species
   -Auditory comm.: he extends & vibrates his wig

Question 15

-motivates the follower bees to leave the hive and search for nearby food
-returning bee moves in tight circles while moving its abdomen from side to side

Answer 15

round dance

Question 16

-when the food source is farther from the nest, the returning bee instead performs
-half circle swing in the other direction, straight run during which the bee waggles its abdomen, and a half-circle swing in the other direction

Answer 16

waggle dance

Question 16

Courtship behavior of the fruit fly (summary)

Answer 16

-Orienting: male visually recognizes female. Female releases chemicals detected by the male’s sense of smell
-Tapping: male taps female’s abdomen with a foreleg
-Singing: Male extends and vibrates wing, producing a courtship song

Question 17

many animals that communicate through odors emit chemical substances called

Answer 17

pheromones

Question 18

developmentally fixed and does not vary among individuals

Answer 18

innate behavior

Question 19

place the young from one species in the care of adults from another species

Answer 19

cross-fostering studies

Question 20

allows researchers to compare the relative influences of genetics & environment on behavior

Answer 20

twin studies

Question 21

is the modification of behavior based in specific experiences

Answer 21

learning

Question 22

is a behavior that includes learning and innate components and is generally irreversible

Answer 22

Imprinting

Question 23

limited development phase that is the only time when certain behaviors can be learned

Answer 23

sensitive period

Question 24

is a more complex modification of behavior based experience w the spatial structure of the environment

Answer 24

spatial learning

Question 25

is an internal representation of spatial relationships between objects in an animal's surroundings

Answer 25

cognitive map

Question 25

is when animals associate one feature (stimulus) of their environment w another

Answer 25

associative learning

Question 26

is a type of associative learning in which an arbitrary stimulus is associated w a reward or punishment

Answer 26

classical conditioning

Question 27

is a type of associative learning in which an animal learns to associate one of its behaviors with a reward or punishment (trial and error learning)

Answer 27

operant conditioning

Question 28

is a process of knowing that may include awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgement

Answer 28

cognition

Question 29

is the process of devising a strategy to overcome an obstacle

Answer 29

problem solving

Question 30

is learning through the observation of others and forms the roots of culture

Answer 30

social learning

Question 31

is a system of information transfer through observation or teaching that influences behavior or individuals in a population

Answer 31

culture

Question 32

or food obtaining behavior, includes recognizing, searching for, capturing, and eating food items

Answer 32

foraging

Question 33

in many species, mating is _____, with no strong pair-bonds or lasting relationships

Answer 33

promiscuous

Question 34

one male mates with one female

Answer 34

monogamous

Question 35

an individual of one sex mates with several individuals of other sex

Answer 35

polygamous

Question 36

species with poly mating systems are usually _____: male and females have different external morphologies

Answer 36

sexually dimorphic

Question 37

one male mates with many females- the males are usually more showy and larger than the females

Answer 37

polygyny

Question 38

one female mates with many males- the females are often more showy than the males

Answer 38

polyandry

Question 39

an often ritualized contest that determines which competitor gains access to a resource

Answer 39

agonistic behavior

Question 40

evaluates alternative strategies where the outcome depends on each individual's strategy and the strategy of other individuals

Answer 40

game theory

Question 41

on occasion, some animals behave in ways that reduce their individual fitness but increase the fitness of others or selflessness

Answer 41

altruism

Question 42

is the total effect an individual has on proliferating its genes by producing offspring and helping close relatives produce offspring

Answer 42

inclusive fitness

Question 43

the fraction of genes that, on average, are shared; r

Answer 43

coefficient of relatedness

Question 44

natural selection favors altruism when rB > C

Answer 44

hamilton's rule

Question 45

is the natural selection that favors this kind of altruisic behavior by enhancing reproductive success of relatives

Answer 45

kin selection

Question 46

altruisic behavior toward unrelated individuals can be adaptive if the aided individuals returns the favor in the future

Answer 46

reciprocal altruism

Question 47

human culture is related to evolutionary theory in the distinct discipline of

Answer 47

sociobiology