Chapter 51 - Animal Behavior Flashcards
behavior
Individually, an action carried out by muscles or glands under control of the nervous system in response to a stimulus; collectively, the sum of an animal’s responses to external and internal stimuli.
behavioral ecology
The study of the [believed] evolution of an ecological basis for animal behavior.
fixed action pattern
In animal behavior, a sequence of unlearned acts that is essentially unchangeable and, once initiated, usually carried to completion.
sign stimulus
An external sensory cue that triggers a fixed action pattern by an animal.
migration
A regular, long-distance change in location.
signal
In animal behavior, transmission of a stimulus from one animal to another. The term is also used in the context of communication in other kinds of organisms and in cell-to-cell communication in all multicellular organisms.
communication
In animal behavior, a process involving transmission of, reception of, and response to signals. The term is also used in connection with other organisms, as well as individual cells of multicellular organisms.
pheromone
In animals and fungi, a small molecule released into the environment that functions in communication between members of the same species. In animals, it acts much like a hormone in influencing physiology and behavior.
innate behavior
Animal behavior that is developmentally fixed and under strong genetic control. Innate behavior is exhibited in virtually the same form by all individuals in a population despite internal and external environmental differences during development and throughout their lifetimes.
cross-fostering study
A behavioral study in which the young of one species are placed in the care of adults from another species.
twin study
A behavioral study in which researchers compare the behavior of identical twins raised apart with that of identical twins raised in the same household.
learning
The modification of behavior based on specific experiences.
imprinting
In animal behavior, the formation at a specific stage in life of a long-lasting behavioral response to a specific individual or object. See also genomic imprinting.
sensitive period
A limited phase in an animal’s development when learning of particular behaviors can take place; also called a critical period.
spatial learning
The establishment of a memory that reflects the environment’s spatial structure.
cognitive map
A neural representation of the abstract spatial relationships between objects in an animal’s surroundings.
associative learning
The acquired ability to associate one environmental feature (such as a color) with another (such as danger).
cognition
The process of knowing that may include awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgment.
problem solving
The cognitive activity of devising a method to proceed from one state to another in the face of real or apparent obstacles.
social learning
Modification of behavior through the observation of other individuals.
culture
A system of information transfer through social learning or teaching that influences the behavior of individuals in a population.
foraging
The seeking and obtaining of food.
optimal foraging model
The basis for analyzing behavior as a compromise between feeding costs and feeding benefits.
promiscuous
Referring to a type of relationship in which mating occurs with no strong pair-bonds or lasting relationships.
monogamous
Referring to a type of relationship in which one male mates with just one female.
polygamous
Referring to a type of relationship in which an individual of one sex mates with several of the other.
mate-choice copying
Behavior in which individuals in a population copy the mate choice of others, apparently as a result of social learning.
game theory
An approach to evaluating alternative strategies in situations where the outcome of a particular strategy depends on the strategies used by other individuals.
altruism
Selflessness; behavior that reduces an individual’s fitness while increasing the fitness of another individual.
inclusive fitness
The total effect an individual has on proliferating its genes by producing its own offspring and by providing aid that enables other close relatives to increase production of their offspring.
coefficient of relatedness
The fraction of genes that, on average, are shared by two individuals.
Hamilton’s rule
The principle that for natural selection to favor an altruistic act, the benefit to the recipient, devalued by the coefficient of relatedness, must exceed the cost to the altruist.
kin selection
Natural selection that favors altruistic behavior by enhancing the reproductive success of relatives.
reciprocal altruism
Altruistic behavior between unrelated individuals, whereby the altruistic individual benefits in the future when the beneficiary reciprocates.
sociobiology
The study of social behavior based on [believed] evolutionary theory.
