Unit 3 Social Behavoiur Flashcards
(21 cards)
4 advantages of a social hierarchy system
- experience leadership guarantee
- Dominant animals lead to the increased chance of favourable alleles
- fighting ritualistic , any real real fighting/ harm is avoided
- energy is therefore conserved
Define social hierarchy
Social hierarchy is when animals organise themselves in rank order
What is the name giving to social hierarchy in birds
Pecking order
What is bison mobbing an example of and why is it useful
Co-operative defence
Many animals rely up safety in numbers by using specialised group formations to protect their young when under attack
Why else might animals want to share responsibility of defending against predators?
When foraging some individuals look out for danger whilst others eat
What do-operative defence strategy
Do birds use
A flock of birds will use bunch a twirling tactics to confuse their predators
Why do animals form alliances
To improve social status
What benefits do alliances give
Protection
Access to more or better food
What kind of behaviour do subordinate animals show
Appeasement behaviour making them selves look small
Teeth hidden
Ears back
Head down
What behaviour does dominant animals show
Ritualistic threat displays Making themselves looks bigger Eye contact Teeth bared Head up Wars up Tail raised
3 reasons why co-operative hunting is used by social animals
1) allows bigger prey to be hunted
2) subordinate animals get more food than they would if they were hunting individually
3) the animals use less energy per individual
Why do species such as wolves and lions continue to hunt co-operatively
As long as food reward for all continues to exceed that of hunting individually, co-operative hunting will continue (Behavioural ecology)
Using the words HARM, BENEFIT, RECIPIENT and DONOR explain altruism
Altruistic behaviour harms the donor but benefits the recipient
Suggest two reasons why altruistic behaviour takes place in social animals
Common in social animals as they can be closely related or is also common as they expect to receive the favour back later on down the line
Give an example of altruism
Regurgitation of blood, food sharing in vampire bats
Name 3 social insects
Bees
Wasps
Termites
Why’s do the sterile members of insects help raise the offspring
As they are all closely related and will increase the chance of survival of shared genes
What is it called when animals look after other because of relations eg shared genes
Kin selection
Primates are placental mammals and produce a smaller number of offspring which they care for, for long periods of time. Suggest a benefit to primate offspring having long periods of parental care?
Primates have a longer period of parental care this means they have a longer time to teach their offspring complex behaviour which support hierarchy
List 3 specific things that primates can learn during this period of parental care
1) Grooming
2) make appropriate facial expressions
3) correct body posture/sexual presentation
Give three reasons why primates might groom one another
1) Reduction of tension in the group
2) Strengthening alliances and bonds
3) Improves hygiene
