Animal Behaviour Flashcards
simple reflexes involve __ and ____ nerves and the response to the stimulus is controlled at the __ ___
afferent, efferent, spinal cord
complex responses are automatic responses to ___ stimulus. These are _____ because the nerves are separated by an ____. These are controlled at the ___ __ or ____
significant, slower, interneuron, brain stem, cerebrum
behaviours that are innate or inherited
instinct
innate behaviours that follow a regular, unvarying pattern
fixed action patterns
fixed action patterns are initiated by a specific stimulus called a __ __. This is called a ___ when it is between members of the same species. The pattern will be complete even if the original stimulus is ___ or the original ____ of the behaviour cannot be fulfilled
sign stimuli, releaser, removed, intent
innate program for acquiring specific behaviours only if the appropriate stimulus is experienced during the critical / sensitive period; once acquired, is irreversible
imprinting
when an animal associates landmarks with a specific location
spatial learning
when an animal is exposed to a new situation yet they still perform a behaviour that generates a positive outcome
insight
an undirected change in the speed of an animal’s movement in response to a stimulus
kinesis
a directed movement in response to a stimulus; either toward or away from it
taxis
Chemicals that trigger reversible behavioural changes
releaser pheromones
Chemicals that cause long term physiological and behavioural changes
primer pheromones
Pheromones can act as __ __, __ ___ and accelerate __ __
sex attractants, territory markers, reproductive maturity
Some advantages of herds, flocks and schools are ____, _____, and __ of young
concealment, vigilance, defence
behaviour that consists of threats, aggression and submission; due to competition; ritualized to prevent long injuries and time in contests
agonistic
When animals in a hierarchy have different level of powers; minimizes fighting
dominance hierarchies
altruistic behaviour includes ___ ___ through natural selection, __ altruism., and _____ ___, the principle for natural selection to favour altruistic acts
kin selection, reciprocal, hamilton’s rule
pacifying social behaviour that seeks to pacify aggression or to avoid being attacked by showing an inferior social stance
appeasement behaviour
when individuals in a population copy the mate choice of others
mate-choice copying
when many offspring are produced in a single reproductive opportunity; good for variable and unpredictable environments
semelparity
repeated reproduction where there are relatively few but large offspring each time reproduction occurs; better in dependable environments
iteroparity
says that the fitness of a particular behavioural phenotype is influenced by the behaviour of other phenotypes in the population
game theory
