Chapter 56 Flashcards
A response of an animal that is dependent on having a particular kind of experience
learned behavior
A highly stereotyped instinctive behavior; when triggered by a specific cue, it is performed over and over in almost exactly the same way
fixed action patterns
A simple cue that triggers a fixed action pattern
sign stimuli
The process of learning the identity of a caretaker and potential future mate during a critical period early in life
imprinting
A type of learning in which an animal develops a mental association between 2 phenomena that are usually unrelated
classical conditioning
A form of associative learning in which animals learn to link a voluntary activity, an operant, with its favorable consequences, the reinforcement
operant conditioning
A form of learning in which animals use insight to solve a novel problem; sometimes called trial-and-error learning
cognition
The learned loss of responsiveness to stimuli
habituation
What is the difference between an instinctive behavior and a learned behavior?
An instinctive behavior is a genetically or developmentally programmed response that appears in complete and functional form the first time it is used. A learned behavior is one that is dependent on having a particular kind of experience during development
How did Arnold demonstrate that the receptiveness of garter snakes to a meal of banana slugs had a genetic basis?
Arnold demonstrated the at the receptiveness of garter snakes to a meal of banana slugs had a genetic basis by breeding snakes that almost always eat banana slugs with snakes that rarely eat them. The behavior of the hybrid offspring was intermediate between the behaviors of the 2 parents populations
Dogs typically wag their tails when they see their owner pick up a leash. What kind of learning does this demonstrate?
Tail wagging by a dog when it sees its owner pick up a leash is an example of classical conditioning
What type of learning allows you to sleep through your alarm clock when it rings to awaken you for class?
sleeping through an alarm clock is an example of habituation
What research results suggest that certain neurons in a young male bird’s brain are influenced only by acoustical signals form members of it own species and only during a critical period?
the conclusion that certain neurons in a young male bird’s brain are influenced only by acoustical signals from its own species and only during a critical period is supported by 2 observations: 1) young birds that did not hear taped songs during the critical period never produced the full song of their species 2) young birds that heard recordings of other bird species’ songs during the critical period never generated replicas of those song as they matured.
What is the role of the ZENK enzyme in song learning?
the role of the ZENK enzyme in song learning is to program the nerve cells of the bird’s brain to anticipate key acoustical events of potential biological importance
What is the effect of estrogen on the development of neurons in the higher vocal center of young zebra finches?
A high estrogen concentration in the brains of young male zebra finches stimulates the production of more neurons in the higher vocal center
How does the loss of its territory change the brain chemistry of an African cichlid fish?
The loss of a territory by a male African cichilid fish causes its brain to produce less GnRH
The predictable seasonal movement of animals from the area where they are born to a distant and initially unfamiliar destination, returning to their birth site later
migration
A wayfinding mechanism in which animals use familiar landmarks to guide their journey
piloting
A wayfinding mechanism that allows animals to move in a particular direction, often over a specific distance or for a prescribed length of time
compass orientation
A wayfinding mechanism in which an animal moves towarda specific destintion using both a compass and a “mental map” of where it is in relation to destination
navigation
What is the difference between piloting, compass orientation, and navigation?
When piloting, animals use familiar landmarks to guide their journey. In compass orientation, animals use external environment cues such as the position of the sun or stars as a compass to move in a particular direction, often over a specific distance or for a prescribed length of time. When navigating, animals use a compass as well as mental map of their position in relation to their destination
What is the most probable selection pressure that has fostered seasonal migrations in birds?
Seasonal changes in temperature and food availability are the most likely selection pressures responsible for the evolution of migratory behavior in birds
A change in the rate of movement or the frequency of turning movements in response to environmental stimuli
kinesis
A behavioral response that is directed either toward or away from a specific stimulus
taxis
A plot of habitat, defended by an individual male or a breeding pair of animals within which the territory holders have exclusive access to food and other necessary resources
territory
Why do wood lice tend to occur in moist parts of their habitat?
Wood lice accumulate in moist habitats because they move much less in moist habitats than they do in dry habitats
What are the cost of maintaining a territory, and what are the benefits?
The cost of maintaining a territory include the time and energy needed to defend territory borders, the possibility of being injured or killed during a territorial encounter, and the increased likelihood of being noticed and captured by a predator. The benefit of holding a territory include access to all of the resources within the territory
A means of animal communication in which a signaler produces a sound that is heard by signal receiver
acoustical signals
A means of communication in which animals use facial expressions or body language to send messages to other individuals
visual signals
Any secretion from one cell type that can alter the behavior of a different cell that bears a receptor for it; a means of cell communication
chemical signals
A distinctive volatile chemical released in minute amounts to influence the behavior of members of the same species
pheromones
A means of animal communication in which the signaler uses touch to convey a message to the signal receiver
tactile signals
A means of animal communication in which a signaler emits an electric discharge that can be received by another individual
electrical signals
Which channels do humans consciously use to communicate with each other?
Humans consciously use acoustical, visual, and tactile channels to communicate with each other
How does a honey bee tell it hive-mates that it has discovered a distant food source?
A honey bee uses the waggle dance to communicate the location of a distant food source to its hive-mates
Why do ravens sometimes announce their discovery of food?
A young wandering raven that discovers food source in the territory of other ravens will call vigorously to attract other ravens from outside the territory. collectively, the non territory holders can overwhelm the defenses of the resident birds and then consume the food
one of a set of behaviors that lead to reproductive success
reproductive strategies
the time and energy devoted to the production and rearing of offspring
parental investment
A form of natural selection established by male competition for access to females and by the females’ choice of mates
sexual selection
A behavior performed by males to attract potential mates or to reinforce the bond between a male and a female
courtship displays
A display ground where males each possess a small territory from which they court attentive females
leks
the social systems describing how males and females pair up
mating system
A mating system in which individuals do not form close pair bond, and both males and females mate with multiple partners
promiscuous
A mating system in which one male and one female form a long-term association
monogamous
A mating system in which either males or females may have many mating partners
polygamous
A polygamous mating system in which one male mates with many females
polygyny
A polygamous mating system in which one female mates with multiple males
polyandry
For monogamous species, what characteristics of males should increase their attractiveness to females?
For monogamous species, the males that are most attractive to females are those that can demonstrate their good genes with large showy morphological characteristics and elaborate behavioral displays and those that hold territories rich in resource
What activities do male and female sage grouse perform at a lek?
Male sage grouse perform displays at a lek, trying to attract the attention of females. Female sage grouse go to a lek to evaluate the qualities of the males that are displaying there
Why might a female red-winged blackbird settle on a territory that was already occupied by another female?
A female red-winged blackbird might settle in the territory of a male even in the presence of other resident females if the males’s territory is very rich in resources
The interaction that animals have with other members of their species
social behavior
A social system in which the behavior of each individual is constrained by that individual’s status in a highly structured social ranking
dominance hierarchies
A behavioral phenomenon in which individuals appear ot sacrifice their own reproductive success to help other individuals
altruism
An explanation for altruistic behavior to close relatives, allowing them to produce proportionately more surviving copies of the altruist’s genes than the altruist might otherwise have produced on its own
kin selection
Form of altruistic behavior in which individuals help non relatives if they are likely to return the favor in the future
reciprocal altruism
A form of social organization, observed in some insect species in which numerous related individuals-a large percentage of them sterile female workers- live and work together in a colony for the reproductive benefit of a single queen and her mates
eusocial
A pattern of sex determination in insects in which females are diploid and males are haploid
haplodiploidy
What do the social behaviors of musk oxen and sawfly larvae have in common?
The social behavior of musk oxen and sawfly larvae includes cooperative defense of the group against predators
Which animals in a dominance hierarchy are most likely to reproduce?
Among the animals in a dominance hierarchy, the most dominant individuals are the most likely to reproduce
Why might the genetic system of many eusocial insects promote altruistic behavior?
The genetic system in eusocial insects promotes altruistic behavior because the workers in a colony are more closely related to each other than are siblings in most other animal species
A genetically “programmed” response that appearsin complete and functional form the first time it is used
instinctive behavior
