Behaviour and Communication (Terminology) Flashcards

1
Q

Stereotypical behaviour

A

Repetitive, fixed sequence of behaviour with no obvious function, often linked to stress and mental well-being - e.g. hamster repeating same route

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2
Q

Displacement behaviour

A

Behaviour appears irrelevant to situation, occurs when animal is unsure what to do with conflicting motivations - e.g. scratching or self-grooming

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3
Q

Hyperactivity

A

Displaying high activity levels, abnormally short attention span and high impulsiveness - e.g. chasing tail, constant movement, destructive behaviour

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4
Q

Excessive inactivity

A

Abnormally low activity levels for species or breed and whether they’re wild or captive (captive animals tend to be less active than their wild counterparts)

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5
Q

Flehmen response

A

Animal inhales with mouth open and upper lip curled, facilitates the transfer of pheromones and scents to gather information

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6
Q

Evolution

A

A process where a species’ heritable characteristics change over many generations to make the animal more suited to it’s environment

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7
Q

Development

A

How a behaviour develops within an individual’s lifetime

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8
Q

Domestication

A

A process where animals adapt to humans and the human environment via a combination of genetic changes (occurring over generations) and developmental mechanisms

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9
Q

Heredity

A

The passing on of traits from parents to offspring - heredity influences some behaviour directly and also provides limitations on characteristics that determine what an animal can learn and therefore how it behaves

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10
Q

Observational learning

A

Watching and copying the behaviour of other animals (e.g. parents, peers)

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11
Q

Trial and error

A

Learning takes place through doing and then assessing the outcome - repeating and adapting behaviour until animal achieves positive outcome

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12
Q

Cultural behaviour

A

Behaviours passed down within a population of a species through shared knowledge and social teaching

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13
Q

Hierarchy

A

A system of rank within a social group

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14
Q

Allo-grooming

A

The grooming of another animal by a member of the same species, strengthens social bonds

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15
Q

Dominant

A

The situation where one animal repeatedly wins over another for a competed or contested resource

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16
Q

Submissive

A

The situation where one animal repeatedly loses over another for a competed or contested resource

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17
Q

Altruism

A

When an animals behaviour decreases its own chance of survival/success and increases another animals chances of survival/success

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18
Q

Affiliative behaviour

A

Behaviour that aids in the formation of social and emotional bonds with others - e.g. allogrooming, play

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19
Q

Agonistic behaviour

A

Behaviour shown in order to avoid physical conflict - e.g. baring teeth, eye contact

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20
Q

Polygamy

A

Breeding with multiple partners

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21
Q

Polygyny

A

Mating between one male and multiple females where the male puts forward the mating effort and the female puts forward the parenting effort

22
Q

Polyandry

A

Mating between one female and multiple males in order to increase the chances of viable offspring during a short mating season

23
Q

Monogamous

A

A mating pair of one female and one male at a time

24
Q

Imprinting

A

When an animal learns to make a particular response to only one type of animal or object

25
Bonding
A biological process in which individuals of the same or different species develop a connection
26
Biparental care
Male and female co-operate to provide care for joint offspring
27
Female-only care
Males may be present but provide no active role in care, female is sole provider
28
Male-only care
Males raise the offspring and the female is not present
29
No parental care
Offspring is abandoned at birth or soon after but are precocial and can survive without parental involvement
30
Intensive care
When one or both parents commit fully to raising their offspring for a long period of time
31
Filial imprinting
Offspring learn the characteristics of their mother and stay close to her - this is irreversible but fades over time
32
Sexual imprinting
Males imprint on the appearance of their mother so that they are able to recognise what a female of their species looks like, preventing cross-breeding
33
Solitary
An animals key behaviours are carried out alone but they will come together for mating
34
Eusocial groups
Multigenerational family groups where the animals are born into their roles and the majority of individuals co-operate to aid the few reproductive members
35
Social groups
Individuals live co-operatively in small to large groups
36
Natural selection
Choosing a mate with characteristics favourable for survival
37
Sexual selection
Choosing a mate with characteristics that increase mating success
38
Linear hierarchy
Animals dominated by higher ranking members in turn dominate lower ranking members - this is established by repeated social interactions
39
Complex hierarchy
Every member is ranked relative to every other member, each animal has a relationship with every other member
40
Redirected aggression
When an animal redirects their aggression to other animals or objects - this is linked to displacement and stereotypical behaviour
41
Intraspecific
Within the same species
42
Interspecific
Across different species
43
Instinctive
Behaviour that has a fixed genetic basis and does not have to be learnt
44
Fixed action patterns
Innate behaviour that is initiated by a specific stimulus and follows a regular, unvarying pattern
45
Ad libitum sampling
All behaviours seen during the observation period are recorded
46
Focal sampling
All occurrences of specified behaviours of an individual are recorded for a specified amount of time
47
Scan sampling
A group or individual is scanned at regular timed intervals and the behaviour occurring at that instant is recorded
48
Behaviour sampling
Each occurrence of a particular type of behaviour is recorded, whilst all other behaviours are ignored
49
Atypical behaviour
Behaviour that wouldn't be expected
50
Tinbergen's four questions - A,B,C,D,E,F
Animal Behaviour Causation (how is the behaviour controlled?) Development (how did it develop in the individual's lifetime?) Evolution (how did the behaviour evolve?) Function (what is the behaviour for?)
51
Neoteny/paedomorphosis
The retention of juvenile traits into adulthood
52
Alloparenting
When other individuals help to raise offspring