Chapter 13 Flashcards
(17 cards)
Proximate questions
Ultimate questions
- concern the immediate reason for behavior
- address why a particular behavior occurs
Behavioral ecology
The study of behavior in an evolutionary context
Innate behavior
Learned behavior
- something you are born with (fixed action patterns)
- a change in behavior based on prior experiences
Examples of innate behavior
Spider and the hole
Habituation and examples
Increased response to stimuli because of repeated exposure, however if there is little to no information produced then the animal learns to not respond
Ex) scarecrow, smells
Imprinting and examples
Learning that is limited to a specific time period in an animals life that is generally irreversible
Ex) goslings, salmon
Spatial learning
Cognitive maps
- using landmarks to return to a place
- using a mental representation of spatial relationships among objects
Associative learning
Ability to associate one environmental feature with another
2 types of associative learning
- paired associations: dog or cat will learn to associate a sound, word or action with a specific punishment or reward
- trial and error: dog or cat will learn to associate their behavior with a good or bad effect
What is different about trial and error learning
It is gradual
Optimal foraging theory
Predicts that the animals feeding behavior should provide maximum engery gain with minimal energy expense or risk
Different types of communication (3)
Visual
Auditory
Chemical
Visual communication
Signal and reception
Ex) waggle dance - pattern of movements that convey the directions to food sources
Auditory communication
Stridulation - rubbing together of two surfaces to produce a sound
Chemical signals
Trailing behavior
Bugs life (ants)
Used to find way home
Pheromones
Why are courtship displays useful
Confirm that individuals are of the same species, opposite sex, physically primed for mating, and not threats to each other
Batemans principle
Variability in reproductive success is greater in males than females
