Animal Behavior

Behavior- anything an animal does in response to a stimulus in its

environment, such as change in temp., length of day, presence

of another member of species, moisture, etc

Innate Behavior

inborn, inherited behavior of animals, does not require learning

reflex- a response determined by a fixed pathway in the nervous

system, usually bypasses the brain

instinct- complex patterns of behavior you are born with and

perform perfectly each time they are carried out (ex. nest

building, mouse catching, mating)

Strongest instincts: 1. self-preservation

                              2. species preservation

Innate behaviors:

            1. courting behaviors- used by male and female to attract each

other for mating; puts male and female in mating conditions at same time so copulation may occur.

(ex. fire flies flash distinct pattern, peacock colors, cricket

            chirping, frog croaking)

Controlled by hormones:

Pheromones: chemicals that affect the behavior of

members of the same species

            2. Fight or flight- response that mobilizes the body for greater

                        activity- body prepared to fight or flee

            3. Territoriality- defending a space, secures adequate space

and food for offspring, lowers predation and disease,

keeps mating pairs from being disturbed

            4. Aggression- behavior used to intimidate another another

member of same species- "fighting behavior"

often more bark than bite

            5. Dominance hierarchy- a form of social ranking w/in a group

in which some individuals are more subordinate than others

pecking order in chickens

            6. Circadian rhythm- 24 hour cycle of behavior- response to

internal,  biological rhythms (sleep at night, awake in day)

            7. Migration- animals move place to place in response to

season

            8. Hibernation- state in which body temp drops, oxygen

consumption decreases, and breathing rate slows to a

few breaths per minute, metabolism slows- conserves

energy

            9. Estivation-reduced metabolism occurs in animals living in

conditions of intense heat

            10. Social insects- insects that live in groups, division of labor

            11. Parental care- parent provides food, protection, and

warmth to eggs and young

Learned Behavior

behavior that changes thru practice and experience, learned after birth, allows animal to alter behavior to cope with change

Intelligent behavior- found in higher vertebrates, problem solving,

            judgment, memory, and decision making

Reasoning- found in primates and other higher vertebrates, ability to

solve unfamiliar problem without benefit of trial and error

Motivation- internal need that causes an animal to act; no

motivation, no learning

Learned Behaviors:

            1. Imprinting- an animal forms social attachment to another

organism soon after hatching or birth- rapid and

irreversible bonding occurs

Ducks following mother

Konrad Lorenz

            2. Habituation- animal learns not to perform certain behavior

                        we don't respond to lunch bells not for us

            3. Insight- animal uses previous experience to respond to new

situation

            4. Conditioning: learning by association

                        Trial and error learning (operant conditioning)     

                                    an animal receives reward or reinforcement for

making desired response

                        Pavlovian conditioning (1900 Ivan Pavlov)- response to a

stimulus that would not normally cause that

response (conditioned response)

Dogs salivate when a bell is rung