Animal Cogn Psych lec 1&2 Flashcards

Question

Fixed Action Patterns

Answer 1

Lorenz and Tinbergen developed the concept of fixed action patterns (FAPS) Fixed action patterns are stereotyped, species-typical behaviours that occur in a rigid order and are triggered by stimuli in the environment. Once triggered, FAP’S process to completion without being influenced by external feedback FAP is species-specific and evolutionary adaptive to increase survival

Answer 2

Techniques can be used to study underlying mechanisms of cognition. Examines brain systems via lesions, electrical stimulation, pharmacology and brain imaging

Answer 3

Comparative cognition benefits from the long-established tradition of examining changes in cognition experientially Non-human animals and young human infants have something in common - both are nonverbal.

Answer 4

remains separate by modality: sent from the sense organs to the brain First point of contact between an organism and their environment Sensory Detection - how animals acquire information about their sensory world Begins at sense organs (eyes, nose, skin, tongue) Contain sensory receptors - transmit information info to the Central Nervous System through neuronal communication. Soma or Cell body contains the cell nucleus and other structures that aid cellular metabolism. The presynaptic terminal is the long output fiber of a neuron has many branches each of which swells at the tip. Action Potential: A rapid, temporary electrical signal that travels along the membrane of a neuron. It is how neurons communicate with each other and with other cells in the body, such as muscle cells. Sensory Processing - separated by modality as it is sent from the sense organs to the brain. This is because there are separate neuronal pathways for vision, hearing and olfaction Ensures messages do not get scrambled as they are sent to the appropriate brain region

Answer 5

Transduction: sensory responders respond not to neurotransmitter release but to the input from the environment Input arrives as a physical event (sound waves, light waves, airborne chemicals) Process of taking this physical input and translating it into electric signals/neuronal messages.

Answer 6

Explains the divergence of different sensory abilities between or within species Key Points to the Hypothesis Adaptation to Environment Sensory system evolves and responds to the specific environmental conditions where species live Eg. Species living in dark waters develop visual systems suited for low light conditions Impact on Communication Sensory adaptations influence communication signals between individuals Communication signals (e.g. color patterns, vocalizations) evolve to be more effective in the species’ sensory environment Reproductive Isolation Sensory drive can lead to divergence in sensory and communication traits promoting speciation Studies show that differences in sensory systems can result in mating preferences creating barriers to reproduction between populations

Answer 7

is a paradox of the evolution of sensory systems Occurs in situations in which individuals of species respond with increased vigour to stimuli that are exaggerated versions of naturally occurring stimuli (eg. faux tail feathers on birds)

Answer 8

is when sensory signals which were important for one process have been coopted by another E.g females finches have a preference for large white headdresses on males have borrowed from the nesting behaviour, which uses white feathers - females may be hanging out with these males because they have an existing bias for the use of white feathers

Answer 9

is when animals can sometimes be more attracted to artificially enhanced stimuli, than to natural stimuli Eg. Graylegg Geese retrieve and incubate giant artificial eggs even when their own actual eggs are nearby. They sometimes abandon their own eggs as they are more attracted to the artificial stimuli

Answer 10

The sensitive period is when experience-dependent changes can have profound and enduring effects on development Found when young monkeys are deprived of vision for as little as 1 week, normal vision never develops, but this same deprivation in adulthood has no effects on vision. Implies rapid sensory development within the first moments of life

Answer 11

is a condition often present at birth in which the visual axes of the eyes are misaligned, making it difficult to look at the same point in space with both eyes

Answer 12

Deficits in one sensory system may lead to enhanced ability in another sensory system If sensory input is blocked during development, the functioning of that system may be blacked in adulthood. E.g. blind people often have a better hearing - those with visual senses do not pay as much attention to auditory cues E.g guppie raised under different light intensities

Answer 13

The super collicus is a visual pathway, that does not travel through te LGN Blindsight refers to the phenomenon where individuals with damage to the primary visual cortex lost conscious visual perception but retain some ability to respond to visual stimuli

Answer 14

are photoreceptors at the back of the eye that detect light and color Nocturnal animals have way more rods than cones for better night vision Rods = Better Night Vision Cones = Better colour vision

Answer 15

are neurons that are the last stop in the eye Information from photo receptors are passed to optic nerve and sent to the brain Located within the retina at the back of the eye

Answer 16

is a densely packed region of cones that the human eye possesses, giving us sharp central vision. Not many other mammals have a Fovea. Pigeons have a Double Fovea - one on the inside of the eye and one on the outside, one to watch for predators and the other to peck for food.

Answer 17

Stating the size of the Just Noticeable Difference is a constant proportion of the original stimulus value Formula: ΔI/I=k ΔI = Change in stimulus intensity (just noticeable difference, JND) I = Initial stimulus intensity k = Weber's constant (a proportion that varies for different sensory modalities)

Answer 18

Fechner's Law is a fundamental principle in psychophysics, describing the relationship between the physical intensity of a stimulus and the perceived intensity experienced by an individual. Formula: S=klogI states that as the physical intensity of a stimulus increases, our perception of that intensity does not increase linearly but instead follows a logarithmic scale. This means: Small increases in weak stimuli are easily noticed. Large increases in strong stimuli are less noticeable.

Answer 19

Absolute Threshold is the minimum intensity of a stimulus required to detect its presence Below some level of intensity, a subject will not be able to detect it. As soon as the threshold intensity is exceeded, the subject can be expected to always detect it The absolute threshold is NOT fixed - the lowest area we can detect

Answer 20

Just Notable Difference The amount to which two stimuli must differ so that the difference can be detected Measures an individual's ability to detect changes in a stimulus intensity

Answer 21

Takes a few minutes to develop as it involves a series of neurochemical reactions in the eye Provides evidence that perceptions are not a direct reflection of sensations E.g adjusting our eyes to the dark - still be functional at night

Answer 22

are trials with no stimulus presented designed to catch individuals who want to appear more sensitive than they really are.

Answer 23

is a psychological and statistical framework used to measure an individual's ability to distinguish between meaningful signals and background noise- It helps explain how people detect weak stimuli under uncertain conditions, taking into account both sensory perception and decision-making biases.

Answer 24

Gesault's principles are considered “top down” processing Gestalt Psychology is elemental theories that perceptions seem at odds with human experience in which the sensory world is perceived as whole. Founded by Kohler, Werheimer and Koffka Proposed individuals perceive sensory information in its entirety (as a whole) and then divide into elements (broken down into component parts) if further processing is required.

Answer 25

Focus on Basic Mechanisms – Starts with simple, observable biological and neurological functions (e.g., neural activity, sensory processing). Incremental Understanding – Explores how basic physiological or genetic traits lead to more complex behaviors like problem-solving, communication, and social interaction. Comparative Analysis – Often studies simpler organisms (e.g., rodents, birds) to uncover fundamental principles that may apply to higher animals, including humans. Experimental & Data-Driven – Relies heavily on controlled experiments, neuroscience, and behavioral observations to identify patterns.

Answer 26

Method of Constant Stimuli Method of Limits Adaptive Testing METHOD OF CONSTANT STIMULI Uses a fixed number of stimuli of various intensities, presented many times in different orders. METHODS OF LIMITS Focuses on stimuli near the absolute threshold Descending Series - The experimenter starts with easily detected stimuli and decreases intensity until the subject can no longer perceive it Ascending Series - The experimenter starts with stimuli that cannot be perceived increases intensity until it can be perceived ADAPTIVE TESTING Methods of limits only test stimuli that bracket the absolute threshold (the last two in the testing series) ; all other stimuli in these sets tell us nothing. Keeps the test stimuli “hovering” around the threshold by adapting stimuli based on subjects' responses