Behavior quiz Flashcards
What is an accurate statement regarding evolution & animal behaviour?
Evolution strongly influences both unlearned and learned behaviour, as the capacity to learn is itself an adaption
Why does evolution influence learned & unlearned behaviour?
There is nothing without genes. It’s always nature and nurture
How can it be that learning is an evolutionary adaptation
Animals with genes that permitted the capacity to adjust one’s behaviour depending on contingencies experienced during the lifetime of the animal performed better than animals without this capability and passed on this trait
What is learning?
Flexibility software! Ability to change behaviour depending on what is going on in real time.
All learning is directly comparable to evolution with the sole difference being the time scale involved.
Is there a selection of favourable or adaptive responses in OC?
All learning is analogous to evolution insofar as responses that work - to gain reinforcement, avoid punishment and prepare oneself for inevitable stimuli - are selected for in much the same way that genes that work are selected for
What is an evolutionary adaption?
defined as the alteration or adjustment in structure or habits which is hereditary, and by which a species or individual improves its ability to survive and pass on its genes in relation to the environment
What awe should we take away from the webinar about genetics??
The ability to learn is a stunning adaption.
What awe should we take away from the webinar in regards to learning??
The ability to learn is a stunning adaptation.
What very basic principle of animal behaviour underlies the absolute mandate to provide motivation in dog training?
Movenent - behaviour - is very, very metabolically expensive and so animals who perform actions without good reason are selected out of the gene pool
What very basic principle [fundamental] of animal behaviour underlies the absolute mandate (we have to provide motivation) to provide motivation in dog training?
Movement - behaviour - is very, very metabolically expensive and so animals who perform actions without good reason are selected out of the gene pool
There is no free lunch
Why is moving cheap to some dogs e.g. chocolate labs
Selective breeding alters selection pressures
They have excess energy to use, which motivates movements
They have an adaptive program to move to condition bodies
What is a misfire
A FAP being triggered by/in response to the wrong thing.
What do we mean by wrong?
It isn’t something that will aid survival & reproduction - i.e., serves the animal’s fitness
What is the point of caching
Saving calories for later
Why wouldn’t any tendency to misfire be selected out of the gene pool in wild animals?
Significant tendencies to misfire are selected out - what we end up seeing are the exceptions to this rule
In domestic animals, there is a relaxation of selection pressure not to misfire: the safety net of human support - unless we cull for misfiring
The misfires we see in non-domestic animals are by definition insufficiently costly to impact fitness (survival and reproduction)
What is the availability bias?
Our assumption that it’s vivid in our mind therefore it must be common!
There are two contexts in which aggression is adaptive in animals what are they?
Self defence
Conflict over resources
Which category of aggression - territorial aggression
Conflict over resources
It’s about monopolising resources - females, food
Which category of aggression - dominance aggression
Conflict over resources.
By definition!
Which category of aggression - Inter male aggression
Conflict over resources
Females - right to mate
Which category of aggression - Location guarding
Conflict over resources
Which category of aggression - fear of strangers neophobia
Self-defence
Risk of danger. its not worth it!
false positive vs false negative ramifications
Which category of aggression - Food guarding
Conflict over resources
Which category of aggression - Body Handling
Self defence
Which category of aggression - Body Handling
Self-defence
It might be bad news! it’s not worth it - better safe than sorry
Why is aggression expensive?
Risk injury
Spending time
Being conspicuous
Not paying attention
Using energy
2-3 weeks of age pups are in what stage of development
Transitional
neonatal - socialisation
Features of transitional
Standing & bambi walking
Eyes open
Ears open
Start lapping
Learning through R+
Can neonatal pups learn?
Smart money is yes, not been researched though!
Acral lick dermatitis could be considered WHAT behaviour performed to the degree of compulsion?
Displacement
Right behaviour but at the wrong time
What is displacement behaviour?
Self-directed behaviour e.g. scratching!
What is the difference between displacement
Context -
During conflict and not happening because you have an itch, happening at the wrong time. Happens more than once - replicable
