Animal Learning

Question 1

Learning

Answer 1

Changes in an individual’s behaviour based on experience.

Question 2

Types of learning

Answer 2

Habituation
Conditioning
Operant conditioning
Imprinting
Observational learning

Question 3

Habituation

Answer 3

Simplest form of learning where an animals reduces responses to a repeated event.

Question 4

Habituation example

Answer 4

Ravens (Corvus corax) learn to not be scared of scarecrows

Question 5

Conditioning

Answer 5

Animals learn to associate certain things with other things

Question 6

Conditioning example

Answer 6

Dogs (canis domesticus) learned to salivate at the sound of a dinner bell, after just 3 days, (Pavlov’s experiments)

Question 7

Operant conditioning

Answer 7

Learning positive/negative association through reward/punishment.

Question 8

Operant conditioning example

Answer 8

Rats (Rattus sp.) learned to press a lever for food in lab settings.

Question 9

Imprinting

Answer 9

Learning during early developmental window.

Question 10

Imprinting example

Answer 10

Young geese (Brantis bernicia) associate the first moving object with their parent.

Question 11

Observational learning

Answer 11

Animals learning by observing and mimicking others.

Question 12

Observational learning example

Answer 12

Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) an individual began washing sweet potatoes in saltwater to improve wash off sand and was learned by others

Question 13

Learning to fine tune instinctive behavior example

Answer 13

Zebra finches (Taeniopygia sp.) birdsong is instinctive, but the right tune must be learned.

Question 14

Importance of parental input in learning

Answer 14

In orcas (Ocinus orca), the tribal communication and hunting technique must be thought by parents.