L9 - Learning and Instinct 2

Question 1

Is there a clear distinction between learned and innate behaviour?

Answer 1

Behaviour is often learned and modified by development and experience. Although many predators may have “instinctive” responses to specific stimuli, many learn to attack prey as a result of experience

Behavioural is also state depended: motivation to perform a behaviour must be present to elicit a behaviour:
E.g.: hungry animals search for food, if they aren’t hungry they wont search

Question 2

If Lorenz’s definitions don’t hold, are they still useful?

Answer 2

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Question 3

What factors can influence the expression of behaviour?

Answer 3

1) Stage in development
2) History (experiences) - Habituation
3) Environmental conditions and abiotic stimuli
4) Genetic background

Hormone levels such as Pheromones, testosterone,

Question 4

If there are genes ‘for’ a particular behaviour, how can it be influenced by environmental factors

Answer 4

Patrick Bateson compares the involvement of genes to behaviour to making a cake:

1) a cake is made according to a set recipe (genes)
2) the recipe specifies how the ingredients are combined (how the body is organised)
3) the cake is mixed and baked in an oven (the organisms environment and development)

Genes, development and environment all interact to produce behaviour.

Question 5

How can habituation change reflexes?

Answer 5

Non-associative learning: occurs when an animal experiences repeated stimulation with a stimulus that ordinarily produces reflexive or instinctual behaviour

The animal learns to not respond

This can be dishabituated though by a strong sensitising stimulus

Question 6

Give an example of how pheromones modify an innate response

Answer 6

Female thynnine wasps emit pheromones to attract males and elicit copulatory behaviour

Some orchid species have evolved the ability to produce these pheromones. Males can learn to avoid an area where they experienced deceit

Question 7

What are the 3 ways in which reflexes can be conditioned?

Answer 7

1) Paired - touching the siphon and presenting an electric shock to the tail
2) US alone - electric shock to the tail
3) unpaired = shocking randomly and not in association with touch

Question 8

Give an example of a hormone that can be changed from an innate reaction

Answer 8

Pheromones:

Female wasps can be emit pheromones to attract males and elicit copulatory behaviour

Some orchids have evolved to emit these, so attract males wasps

Males can learn to avoid areas where they have experienced deception