Chapter 51 - Animal Behavior

Question 1

behavior

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

behavioral ecology

Answer 2

The study of the [believed] evolution of an ecological basis for animal behavior.

Question 3

fixed action pattern

Answer 3

In animal behavior, a sequence of unlearned acts that is essentially unchangeable and, once initiated, usually carried to completion.

Question 4

sign stimulus

Answer 4

An external sensory cue that triggers a fixed action pattern by an animal.

Question 5

migration

Answer 5

A regular, long-distance change in location.

Question 6

signal

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

communication

Answer 7

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.

Question 8

pheromone

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

innate behavior

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

cross-fostering study

Answer 10

A behavioral study in which the young of one species are placed in the care of adults from another species.

Question 11

twin study

Answer 11

A behavioral study in which researchers compare the behavior of identical twins raised apart with that of identical twins raised in the same household.

Question 12

learning

Answer 12

The modification of behavior based on specific experiences.

Question 13

imprinting

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

sensitive period

Answer 14

A limited phase in an animal’s development when learning of particular behaviors can take place; also called a critical period.

Question 15

spatial learning

Answer 15

The establishment of a memory that reflects the environment’s spatial structure.

Question 16

cognitive map

Answer 16

A neural representation of the abstract spatial relationships between objects in an animal’s surroundings.

Question 17

associative learning

Answer 17

The acquired ability to associate one environmental feature (such as a color) with another (such as danger).

Question 18

cognition

Answer 18

The process of knowing that may include awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgment.

Question 19

problem solving

Answer 19

The cognitive activity of devising a method to proceed from one state to another in the face of real or apparent obstacles.

Question 20

social learning

Answer 20

Modification of behavior through the observation of other individuals.

Question 21

culture

Answer 21

A system of information transfer through social learning or teaching that influences the behavior of individuals in a population.

Question 22

foraging

Answer 22

The seeking and obtaining of food.

Question 23

optimal foraging model

Answer 23

The basis for analyzing behavior as a compromise between feeding costs and feeding benefits.

Question 24

promiscuous

Answer 24

Referring to a type of relationship in which mating occurs with no strong pair-bonds or lasting relationships.

Question 25

monogamous

Answer 25

Referring to a type of relationship in which one male mates with just one female.

Question 26

polygamous

Answer 26

Referring to a type of relationship in which an individual of one sex mates with several of the other.

Question 27

mate-choice copying

Answer 27

Behavior in which individuals in a population copy the mate choice of others, apparently as a result of social learning.

Question 28

game theory

Answer 28

An approach to evaluating alternative strategies in situations where the outcome of a particular strategy depends on the strategies used by other individuals.

Question 29

altruism

Answer 29

Selflessness; behavior that reduces an individual’s fitness while increasing the fitness of another individual.

Question 30

inclusive fitness

Answer 30

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.

Question 31

coefficient of relatedness

Answer 31

The fraction of genes that, on average, are shared by two individuals.

Question 32

Hamilton’s rule

Answer 32

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.

Question 33

kin selection

Answer 33

Natural selection that favors altruistic behavior by enhancing the reproductive success of relatives.

Question 34

reciprocal altruism

Answer 34

Altruistic behavior between unrelated individuals, whereby the altruistic individual benefits in the future when the beneficiary reciprocates.

Question 35

sociobiology

Answer 35

The study of social behavior based on [believed] evolutionary theory.