Exam 2 Flashcards
What is Instinct
Innate response, a behavior fully functional the first time it’s performed
Explain how the instinct theory explains fixed action behavior
Simple stimulus, sensory signals, innate releasing mechanism in nervous system, motor commands control a fixed action pattern
Fixed Action Pattern
Adaptive reaction to stimulus
Describe how animals exploit fixed action behaviors in other animals
Mouth markings within nestlings in estrildid finch allow different host parents to feed them.
Humans have exploited the earthworm’s escape behavior in order to collect them for fishing purposes (worm grunters)
Flyings moths: How is the message relayed to the brain/control center?
Receptors in ears relay info to Inter neurons in the thoracic ganglia
Flyings moths: How do neurons communicate with one another?
Two neurons (A1 and A2) move in response to sound pressure waves. At the synapse a chemical messenger is released to stimulate the next neuron.
Flying moths: What is the action of motor neurons?
Control wing muscles (wing flapping)
Flying Moths: When the bat is to one side of moth?
A1 receptor on side closer to the predator fires sooner
Flying Moths: When the bat is above the moth?
Activity in the A1 receptors fluctuates in synchrony with the moth’s wingbeats
Flying Moths: When the bat is directly behind the moth?
Both A1 receptors fire at the same rate/time
Flying Moths: Rate of firing (A1 receptors) is proportional to…
loudness of the sound
Discuss the advantages of sexual cannibalism on the praying mantis
More eggs are laid by females that eat their mates
Amino acids originating from male directly go to support his offspring
Discuss the Command Center Hypothesis
Nervous systems are organized to avoid maladaptive conflicts between competing stimuli via command centers in the brain
Command Center Hypothesis EXAMPLE
Noctuid moth can detect sex pheromones produced by females of its own species
On the way, he encounters a hunting bat, hearing ultrasonic pulses, he immediately aborts his efforts to pursue a mate
Stimulus Filtering and benefit
the ability of neurons and neural circuits to ignore some info in order to focus on biologically relevant elements within the diverse stimuli
Benefit: able to conserve energy
Stimulus Filtering EXAMPLE
Noctuid moths only detect ultrasound, ignoring sounds of low frequency, and do not distinguish between the two
Cortical Sensory Maps
brains evolved in response to selection pressure associated with the particular physical and social environment
Cortical Sensory Map EXAMPLE
Naked mole rats
Cortex dominated by teeth
Rely on touch to go through tunnels
Imprinting
developing the ability to learn
dependent on specialized brain features
Interaction between genes and environment
Konrad Lorenz and his Graylag Goslings developed what later in life? (Imprinting)
Adult males displayed a sexual preference for humans
Learning requires both…
genes and environment
How is learning crucial for survival in behavior?
Learning adaptive behaviors will increase fitness and survival. It is hard to progress without learning
Who had better pairing success with own species after being cross-fostered? Great tit or Blue tit
Blue tit
Learning and Memory: Hippocampus Hint: Black-capped chickadees
Black-capped Chickadees can remember where they stored food
Larger hippocampus means they can remember where there food is much better
Neurogenesis increases during caching season
Meadow voles are poly or mono and what kind of a home range?
polygynous and have a larger home range than females
Prairie voles are poly or mono and what kind of a home range?
monogamous, and male and female home ranges are similar
What is a circadian rhythm?
behavior cycles over a 24-hour period
Endogenous Clock
a timing mechanism with a built-in schedule act independently of any cues from the animal’s surroundings to control how animals change priorities over time
Environmental Stimulus
animals use feedback info from the surrounding environment to change priorities over time
Free-running cycle
refers to the circadian rhythm assumed by an individual when their sleep is not guided by external cues. In other words, it is the cycle of sleeping and waking that a person’s body naturally adopts when there are no external time cues such as light or waking-sleeping activities present.
Cyclical pattern of crocket calling is caused in part by an…
environment-independent internal circadian rhythm
Entrained
behavior match to environemnt
Crickets adult calling behavior to amount of light
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) is the what and what does it do?
master clock (biological clock)
Acts as a pacemaker, regulating other mechanisms that control circadian rhythms
What are the elements of SCN? What goes on starting with sunlight?
Sunlight/other environmental cues
Sensory Receptors
Pacemaker
Locomotry patterns, feeding behaviors, hormone release patterns
Cues that entrain cycles of behavior
seasonal temps
rain, environmental factors
changes in daylength
lunar cycles (African lions)
social conditions and changing priorities
What are hormones?
chemical messengers
circulate the bloodstream
secreted by endocrine cells and target other cells
bind to receptors
brins about a change
Steroid hormones
derived from cholesterol
usually active intracellular receptors
slower mechanism of action
stimulate transcription of specific DNA
Steroid hormone EXAMPLE
testosterone
Protein hormones
comprised of amino acids
activate intramembrane receptors
relatively faster response
turn proteins on or off
Protein hormone EXAMPLE
vasopressin
Neural Control (Nervous system) vs. Endocrine Control (Endocrine system)
NC
rapid response (electrical impulses)
Effects are short-lasting
EC
slower response (via messengers i.e. hormones)
effects are long-lasting
What does oxytocin do? (prairie voles)
Enhances pair-bonding behaviors in female prairie voles
What does vasopressin do? (prairie voles)
Enhances pair-bonding in male prairie voles
Oxytocin within humans?
increased trust
increased empathy
Male Mice (transition from killer to caregiver); Males that experienced fast days are what likely to kill infants
Less likely
Male Mice (transition from killer to caregiver); Males that experienced short days are what likely to kill infants
More likely
What controls infanticidal behavior in mice? Hint; the study that was done in lecture slides
total number of light-dark cycles
Which hormones might be responsible for aggression in the male mouse?
Progeresterone and testosterone
Activational effect
immediate, temporary effect of a hormone on behavior
Organization effect
permanent effect on the nervous system during development leading to permanent changes in physiology and behavior
What does progesterone do in male mice?
Cause infanticide and suppresses maternal behavior
Progesterone is significantly lower in male mice who have…
fathered at least one litter
Lessons form the Japanese Quail; Estrogen is…
responsible for sexual motivation
Aromatase
enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen
Survival costs of testosterone
aggression
lower rate of feeding nestlings
What are 2 things hormones cause?
behavior changes
change in response to different behaviors
What kind of relationship is there between hormones and behavior?
bidirectional
Hormones are affected by
food availability
weather
presence of predators
What responds to stress? (Hint: axis and coids)
Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis
Glucocorticoids
Stress can be two things…
acute
chronic
What do glucocorticoids do and when are they produced?
helps animals deal with stress
produced in response to stress
In meerkats, there is a single dominant female and multiple reproductively subordinate females that do what?
raise dominant’s offspring
elevated glucocortoids
reproduction suppressed by dominant female
