Animal Behaviors

ethology

we share behaviors and their underlying genes with common ancestors,

genetic cause for many behaviors

• -largely genetic
• -triggered by specific stimuli
• -produce specific behaviors
• -does not involve learning
• -involves sign stimuli
• -inate releasing mechanisms produce fixed action pattern

Environmental factors that evoke instinctual behavior

genetically determined neural networks that when triggered by a sign stimulus, produce a specific behavior called a fixed action pattern (FAP)

the process of developing a behavioral response based on experience

• -conditioning
• -habituation
• -latent
• -imprinting
• -insight

• -Associative learning
• - Learned behavioral response to a novel or substituted stimulus
• - Uses reward as a basis for learning

• -classical
• -operant

• - is passive; learns a new stimulus to trigger the existing behavior
• -Pavlov’s dog experiments

• -The animal must perform an act (behavior) in response to a stimulus to get the reward
• - The reward follows the behavior, not the stimulus
• - It is an active process; the animal must do something specific to get the reward
• - The animal learns to associate the reward with the behavior

• -Generalized conditioning occurs when the animal responds to similar stimuli (dog salivates in response to any colored light)
• - Discriminating conditioning occurs when animal responds to a specific stimulus (dog salivates to blue, but not red light)

learning not to respond to a stimulus

learning in the absence of a an immediate reward

• -a rapid learning that occurs only at specific stages of development
• - Imprinting occurs by the types of learning discussed already, but is influenced by genetics, development, hormones, and other factors

when an animal solves a problem without experience, without trial and error, the animal solves the problem or practices trial and error in its mind.

-the storage and retrieval of information

engram

• -short term memory
• -long term memory

Information is first stored in short-term memory where its neurological effects last about an hour, after which the system will return to normal (one forgets).

when memory is shifted within the first hour and its engram forms

by “reverberating” circuits of neurons. These circuits include positive feedback loops that increase the activity of certain stimuli.

short term memory does not leave an engram. long term memory does produce an engram.

• -Proximate causes are the immediate causes for a behavior – the sign stimuli, physiological, and psychological factors that result in behavior
• -

• -foraging behavior (search for food)
• -communication
• -aggression
• -territorial
• -inactivity

able to eat different types of food. they lear from learning not by instict.

able to feed on only a very specific type for food.

• -emotional
• -sexual
• -identity

• -coloration
• -movement
• -posture
• -eye contact
• -facial expression

• -visually
• -sound
• -chemically

• -pheramones (sexual)
• -fear
• -territorial

• -intraspecific is usually ritualistic
• -interspecific usually includes predation or territorial defense

• -self awarness
• -aggression
• -individual recognition

• -hybernation-slow doew metabolism and lowering of body temp. for extended period of time. GYE
• -dormancy-mild slowing of metabolism with arousal for eating and drinking GYE
• -estivation-reduced activity due to temperature. no GYE

• Circadian rhythms are 24-hour day-night behavioral and physiological cycles that are genetically based for all species – these rhythms are very difficult to change substantially, or for long periods of time.
• -nocturnal
• -diurnal
• -crepuscular (dawn and dusk)
• -