Biology 29

Question 1

Explain how stimulus, behavior and response are connected.

Answer 1

Behavior ? The way an organism reacts to change
Stimulus? any signal that carries information &
can be detected
Response ?
a reaction to a stimulus

Question 2

Define Innate vs. Learned Behavior and give some examples.

Answer 2

Innate Behavior ? animals are born with ability
to perform the behavior
-suckling of a
newborn mammal & the
weaving of a spider web.
Learned Behavior ? Development of behaviors 
through experience (learning)
-Habituation
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Insight Learning

Question 3

Identify the four types of learned behavior? Give examples.

Answer 3

-Habituation
response to stimulus
        slows or stops when animal is neither 
        rewarded nor harmed for responding.-Ragworms retreats to burrows
b/c of overhead shadows. 
However, when repeated shadows
pass overhead, they will 
stop retreating
Classical Conditioning
Occurs when mental
connection is made between stimulus & event
Ivan Pavlov rang a bell 
each time he fed his dog.
Operant Conditioning
Animal learns to act in 
certain way to get reward 
or avoid punishment
Dog learning to sit
Insight Learning\
Animal applies something already
learned to new 
situation w/o
a period of 
trial and error.
humans and apes

Question 4

Why is insight learning unique?

Answer 4

Humans and apes only

Question 5

What is imprinting?

Answer 5

Occurs only during a critical time frame

Once learned, can?t be changed

birds

Question 6

What makes imprinting complex behavior?

Answer 6

Both innate and learned

Question 7

Identify and define the 3 types of Behavioral cycles.

Answer 7

Dormancy ? Seasonally or environmentally induced
slowdown in metabolism

Hibernation ? Type of Dormancy
Severely reduced physiological activity

Seasonal movement of individuals or whole populations from
one place to another and then back again.

Occur in daily pattern

Diurnal- active primarily during the day

Flowers open during the day and close at night

Nocturnal- active primarily at night

Question 8

What are the 4 methods of communication?

Answer 8

Visual = movement and color.
Chemical Signals = communicate w/
pheromones
Sound Signals =
EX: Birds, toads, crickets, whales/dolphins

Language = combines sounds, symbols, or
gestures according to sets of rules about
word order and meaning

Question 9

Why is language different from communication?

Answer 9

Learned by trial-and-error