Ethology

Question 1

ethology

Answer 1

the study of natural behaviour and communication of animals

Question 2

ethologists

Answer 2

scientists who study animal behaviour, usually in their natural behaviour; they also look into the evolution of behaviour

Question 3

reasons for studying behaviour

Answer 3

improve captive animal management
manage animal populations
improve animal welfare

Question 4

Charles Darwin

Answer 4

• famous for his work on evolution
• realised that both physical and behavioural traits can be inherited and are subject to natural selection
  certain innate behaviours give an advantage and so are passed down through the generations

Question 5

displacement

Answer 5

doing a natural behaviour out of context

Question 6

ethogram

Answer 6

a catalogue of observed behaviour in a species or individual
ethograms are purely descriptive statements (no interpretation)

Question 7

constructing an ethogram

Answer 7

preliminary observation (common / expected behaviours)
description of each behaviour
categorise (locomotion, posture)
two categories that should always be included; out of sight + other

Question 8

state behaviours

Answer 8

behaviours that occur over a length of time (e.e. resting/sleeping)
state behaviours are mutually exclusive to one another

Question 9

event behaviours

Answer 9

behaviours that are brief / sudden

Question 10

focal sampling

Answer 10

observing a specific individual for predetermined reasons and recording all behaviours

Question 11

scan sampling

Answer 11

scanning a whole group of individuals at set intervals recording the behaviour of each individual

Question 12

behaviour sampling

Answer 12

watching a group of individuals, recording every incidence of a specific behaviour

Question 13

continuous recording

Answer 13

an exact record of the frequency (how often) and duration (how long) of all behaviours seen
:) → accurate - full picture of behaviours
:( → time consuming and could require a recording if there is a large group of individuals

Question 14

instantaneous sampling (aka interval / time sampling)

Answer 14

on each set interval / sample point, only current behaviour is recorded
frequency is recorded, but not duration
:) → much easier, simple tally chart
:( → less informative, potentially less accurate - no recording of behaviour in between sample points

Question 15

Niko Tinbergen’s four questions

Answer 15

1. Function
2. Evolution
3. Cause
4. Development

Question 16

Niko Tinbergen 1.) function

Answer 16

a. What is the animal trying to achieve?

b. How does the behaviour improve survival?

Question 17

Niko Tinbergen 2.) evolution

Answer 17

“Phylogeny”

How has the behaviour emerged over evolutionary time?

All behaviours evolve for a reason, usually to benefit the animal to its maximum extent so hopefully it will survive to reproduce and pass its genes to the next generation.

Question 18

Niko Tinbergen 3.) cause

Answer 18

“Mechanism”

What internal or external factors or stimuli have caused the animal to produce a particular behaviour?

Question 19

Niko Tinbergen 4.) development

Answer 19

“Otogeny”

Does the behaviour change as the animal grows from an infant to an adult?

Does the behaviour change with practice?