Chapter 1 - Introduction

Question 1

What is Animal Behavior

Answer 1

Animal behavior is the study of how animals
move in their environment etc.

Question 2

Why was animal behavior initially studied

Answer 2

practical reasons (hunting and fishing,
avoidance of predators, etc.)

Question 3

Which fields are encompassed

Answer 3

ethology, comparative psychology,
behavioral ecology, and sociobiology

Question 4

how did animal domestication affect the study of animal behavior

Answer 4

study behaviors in a new
context. (What are different species
capable of doing?) EX: Dogs can be used for hunting, Cats cannot

Question 5

Why study animal behavior?

Answer 5

The study of animal behavior can help us
conserve populations of threated and
endangered species in the wild and in
captivity.

Question 6

2 reasons for studying animal behavior

Answer 6

1. can be used to model human behavior
2. satisfy our curiosity of the natural world
   and to gather information in the context of
   greater biological theories (e.g.
   evolutionary theory).

Question 7

who was the founder of the modern study of animal behavior

Answer 7

Niko Tinbergen a Dutch Biologist, came up with the four questions

Question 8

What are the four questions?

Answer 8

1. What are the mechanisms that cause the
   behavior?
   2.How does the behavior develop?
   3.What is the survival value of the
   behavior?
2. How did the behavior evolve?

Question 9

how did Tinbergen view the questions

Answer 9

believed that all four questions
were equally important and that we should
study each of them to gain a full
understanding of a behavior.

These questions do not compete with one
another. Rather, they are complementary
and contribute equally to a full
understanding.

Question 10

Use Bird Migration as an example to explain the 4 questions

Answer 10

How do birds find their way? (mechanism of behavior)

is directional tendency inherited from parents. (development of behavior)

what are the costs and benefits of migration in regards to survival and fitness. (survival value of behavior)

How did migration in birds begin ( evolution of the behavior)

Question 11

Proximate causation

Answer 11

These involve a) the mechanisms
within the organism (physiology, genetics, etc.)
that lead to the behavior and b) the processes
related to the development of the behavior

Question 12

Ultimate causation

Answer 12

These involve a) the current costs
and benefits of the behavior with regards to
survival and fitness and b) the evolution of the behavior

Question 13

Use peppered moths to explain Proximate vs Ultimate causes

Answer 13

Proximate - a specific gene causes light or dark wings and natural selection causes less variability
Ultimate - The wings help with camouflage and moths that blend into the environment survive longer.

Question 14

Dwarf Mongoose

Answer 14

• Live in social groups
• unusual for carnivorous mammals
• breeding done by a dominant female
• rest of pack falls into dominance hierarchy
• nonbreeders help the dominant pair raise offspring.