Wk 2: Motivation

Question 1

4 types of explanations for behaviour (Niko Tinbergen)

Answer 1

Casual
Developmental
Evolutionary - instinctual
Functional - exploring

Question 2

What can affect the expression of behaviour?

Answer 2

Internal and External casual factors

Question 3

What is the study of motivation?

Answer 3

How the internal and external casual factors interact to determine the likelihood that a behaviour is expressed

Question 4

Examples with a cat and a box

Answer 4

cat awake and excited - jump in and out of box
cat is tired - sleep in box
same external casual stimuli, different motivation (internal casual factor)

Question 5

Why was the ‘black box’ models developed?

Answer 5

To describe motivational processes (interactions between internal and external causal factors) and predict behaviour outcomes (Konrad Lorenz)

Question 6

Explain the ‘psychohydraulic apparatus’ (lavatory pan model)

Answer 6

Motivation to perform becomes stronger the more the internal causal factor is ignored
Strong internal causal factor can trigger behaviour

Question 7

Criticism for the ‘psychohydraulic apparatus’ (lavatory pan model)

Answer 7

What is accumulating in the NS?
Concept of energy, fluid energy in the NS is misleading
How does feedback affect control of behaviour

Question 8

Explain the feedback & control of behaviour model
Dog and Food example

Answer 8

If no feedback process dog will become overweight and ill - stomach distention, mechanoreceptors trigger this

Question 9

Explain the homeostatic models of the motivational control of behaviour

Answer 9

animal has ideal value set according to physiological state and an actual value (eg. body temp) comparison between these things trigger a behaviour to return to the ideal value - negative feedback model (homeostasis)

Question 10

From a motivational perspective, welfare problems are likely when?

Answer 10

Animals are prevented from performing a motivated behaviour
Animals are able to perform the behaviour but are prevented from achieving functional consequence/goal
Animals are provided the functional consequences but unable to perform the behaviour (do not link to theory)

Question 11

Knowing the two models of motivation, can you link which models links with each welfare problem (from a motivational perspective)

Answer 11

Animals are prevented from performing a motivated behaviour - Lorenz
Animals are able to perform the behaviour but are prevented from achieving functional consequence/goal - Control Theory

Question 12

Animals are prevented from performing a motivated behaviour - Lorenz
True or False
Motivation to perform a behaviour with time since it was last performed

Answer 12

True in terms of feeding & dribking
Not for others that may be more difficult to perform in captivity

Question 13

Animals are prevented from performing a motivated behaviour - Lorenz
What happens if a behaviour is left to build up and it cannot be performed when stimulated by an internal causal factor?

Answer 13

A build-up of motivation = Welfare problems in the form of abnormal behaviour
Vacuum behaviour - behaviour performed in the absence of an appropriate substrate

Question 14

Animals are prevented from performing a motivated behaviour - Lorenz
What happens if the animal is allowed to express the suppressed behaviour after a long period of time?

Answer 14

Can cause ‘Rebound behaviour’ where they perform the behaviour more frequently

Question 15

Animals are prevented from performing a motivated behaviour - Lorenz
What happens if a calf is unable to express its normal suckling behaviour?

Answer 15

Prepuce or Pen sucking can occur

Question 16

Animals are prevented from performing a motivated behaviour - Lorenz
However, in terms of external causal factors what is the effect of suppression?

Answer 16

May not have those effects, eg:
Aggression in sows when they experience an intruder, there is no evidence that there will be a build-up of expressing behaviour

Question 17

Animals are able to perform the behaviour but are prevented from achieving functional consequence/goal - Control Theory
Prediction?

Answer 17

Functional consequences are prevented, target value of the system is not achieved, behaviour continues, eg;
cat attempts to defend home area may be undermined by the presence of a cat flap causing increased marking/urination; anxiety-like behaviour

Question 18

Animals are able to perform the behaviour but are prevented from achieving functional consequence/goal - Control Theory
Solution?

Answer 18

Provide opportunities to achieve functional consequences of actions can prevent welfare problems, eg;
escape an aggressive situation - pigs fighting

Question 19

Are functional consequences on their own enough to satisfy a highly motivated animal?
Control Theory/Homeostatic Model prediction:

Answer 19

Functional consequences of behaviour decrease high levels of motivation allowing animals to achieve ideal/set point

Question 20

Are functional consequences on their own enough to satisfy a highly motivated animal?
Lorenz Model prediction:

Answer 20

Expression of behaviour is the only way to decrease high levels of motivation

Question 21

From a motivational perspective, welfare problems are especially likely when what kind of behaviour arises?

Answer 21

Primarily motivated by internal causal factors

Question 22

Although models of motivation illustrate principles by which behaviour can be controlled, what don’t they tell us about?

Answer 22

Neural Mechanisms

Question 23

What can measure motivations allows us to do?

Answer 23

Access and avoid things telling us the animals ‘wants’ and help design appropriate housing