[C] (Pt.3) Neurobiology and Behaviour: BEHAVIOUR

Question 1

2 Types of Behaviour

Answer 1

1) Innate - instinctive/ inborn complex patterns/ exist in most members of species (more sig. in animals w simpler neural systems as less ability learn)
2) Learned - permanent change in skills due to past experience/ can be conscious or unconscious/ builds on + modifies existing knowledge

Question 2

Innate Behaviour (x3)

Answer 2

1) Reflex: rapid, automatic, protective response e.g. withdrawal (inc. survival chance)
2) Kinesis: non directional movement of whole organism in response to light/ humidity/ temp e.g. if drier woodlice move more (orthokinesis - speed depends on intensity stimulus)
3) Taxis: whole org. move toward (+ve) / away from stimulus (-ve) e.g. positive chemotaxis when E.Coli swims up glucose conc grad/ negative phototaxis when cockroaches move away from light

Question 3

Learned Behaviour (x6)

Answer 3

1) Habituation: learning to ignore a stimulus that is unfollowed by reward/ punishment e.g. unstartled by constant loud noise
2) Imprinting: attach to first large moving object seen when v. young e.g. geese (imp. when choosing mature sexual partner same species)
3) Associative Behaviours: associate stimulus w particular response (conditioning)
- Classical Conditioning: natural or artificial stimulus provokes same response (e.g. Pavlov’s dogs conditioned salivate whether food or bell)
- Operative Conditioning: particular behaviour associated reward/ punishment e.g. Skinner’s rats - if press lever = food reward (+ve reinforcement)/ press lever = stop loud noise (-ve reinforc.)
4) Latent (exploratory) Learning: learn through curiosity/ exploration (not for reward) e.g. Tolman’s rats explored maze for 10 days so could find food at end maze quickly
5) Insight Learning: “eureka moment”/ complex behaviour based info previously learnt e.g. Köhler’s chimps figured out how to knock down far away fruit w sticks
6) Imitation: advanced social learning/ behaviour passed down generations without genetic inheritance by copying e.g. monkeys washing potatoes after watching humans

Question 4

Sign Stimulus

Answer 4

Action/signal of one individual that triggers innate response in second individual e.g. red abdomen other males provoke male stickleback fish to attack

(response depend motivational state e.g. hungry cheetah stalks prey)

Question 5

Fixed Action Patterns (FAPs)

Answer 5

Innate behaviour which is a complex sequence of events that runs to completion, once it has been initiated by a sign stimulus (automatic but more complex than reflexes)

• Innate FAPs = newborns sucking/crying
• Learned FAPs = walking/ riding bike

Question 6

Insect Eusocial Colonies

Answer 6

• Brood care
• Overlapping generations in colony
• Division of labour i.e. castes

e.g. honeybees:
1 queen + few 100 reproductive males (drones) + mostly sterile female workers (find food/defend/care/build)

Question 7

Vertebrate Social Structure

Answer 7

• Co-operative rearing of young
• Overlapping generations living together permanently
• Co-operating foraging/ hunting/ defence
• Social learning (e.g. copying)

Question 8

3 Types Vertebrate Social Group

Answer 8

1) Egalitarian: all equal rank e.g. herring
2) Despotic: 1 member dominant + rest equally submissive e.g. meerkats/ wolves
3) Linear: “dominance hierarchies” - higher ranking indiv. dominant vs lower ranking submissive e.g. hens

Question 9

Dominance Hierarchies (+ve/-ve)

Answer 9

Animal ranking system where each animal submissive to higher ranks but dominant to lower ranks

+) Decrease aggression feeding/ mate selection/ breeding site selection (less fighting)
+) Better genetics/ more surviving offspring in higher ranks

• ) Dominant may have more stress (high corticosteroid conc leads more disease e.g. osteoporosis/ immunosuppression)
• ) Injuries when subordinate challenge dominant

Question 10

Territorial Behaviour

Answer 10

Area that animal defends against others (provides food/ nesting sites/ mating areas)

Marked scent/ sight/ sound
e.g. urine/ colour of animal/ vocalisations (howling)

Question 11

Courtship Behaviour

Answer 11

Select mate for reproduction (sexual selection characteristics/ natural selection as worst killed off)

Courtship rituals allow recognise opposite sex/ sexual maturity/ whether receptive

• Intra-Sexual Selection: Males compete/ fight for females
• Inter-Sexual Selection: Male starts courtship and female chooses either mate or reject (based physical attractiveness/ male handicap)