Innate Behaviour

Question 1

What are escape reflexes?

Answer 1

• the organisms moves away from potential danger
• this helps to avoid predation
• e.g. earthworms withdraw underground in response to vibrations in the ground

Question 2

What are taxes?

Answer 2

• it’s is a directional response, organisms move towards or away from a stimulus
• this helps an organism to find more food or move away from an unpleasant stimulus
• e.g. woodlice move away from a light source to be less visible to predators

Question 3

What are kineses?

Answer 3

• this is an increased movement that has no defined direction, the rate of movement is in relation to the intensity of the stimulus and not the direction
• the animal moves more quickly in response to an unpleasant stimulus and slows down when the stimulus is no longer present
• e.g. woodlice move about more quickly in the light or in dry conditions in order to find mode humid conditions and prevent water loss

Question 4

What are the advantages of innate behaviour?

Answer 4

• it is genetically determined so environment has no impact on behavioural response and it is passed onto offspring
- this means that all organisms respond in the right way to a stimulus straight away because no learning is needed
• stereotypical in all members of a species
• rigid and inflexible
• helps an organism survive