Learning Flashcards
Domain Specific Learning (animal examples for the 3 types)
Learning that reflects an evolved sensitivity to certain stimuli, whereby animals are more likely to learn certain types of relationships than others.
birds → sight
since birds already have good sight, it is easier to learn new visual information about the environment
foxes, bats → hearing
skunks, rats → smell
How learning is Affected by Stable vs Less Stable Environments
Stable environment: less learning, more specialists
Unstable environment: more learning, more generalists
Habituation defined (animal example)
animal reacts less intensely to a stimulus that it encounters repeatedly within its environment
squirrels in parks will grow less afraid of humans
Preadaptation defined (animal example)
prior adaptation, evolves according to previous need, but may not be present anymore. provides a foundation to build on
feathers developed to attract mates, now they help with flight
dolphins press lever with snout, not fin (preadaptation for moving things with snout, no experience moving things with fin)
Pavlovian or Classical Conditioning defined
when an true stimulus (unconditioned) with a neutral stimulus (conditioned), the development of an involuntary response to the previously neutral stimulus
Operant Conditioning (Skinner Box) defined
animal actively interacts with environment to produce a favorable outcome
e.g. training dogs to perform tasks
Temporal Learning (animal examples)
learning time intervals
rabbits learn time intervals to know when to nurse young (every 12 hrs)
Spatial Learning (animal examples)
learning layout of the environment
bees remembering where their hive is
Instinct
a behavior triggered by a releaser, not learned
Signal Stimulus
Innate releasing mechanism
Fixed action pattern
Signal Stimulus: external environmental interaction that triggers a specific response
stickleback fish - belly red for aggression
Innate releasing mechanism: network in brain that responds to stimulus and triggers a reaction
stickleback sees red, eyes to brain, neurons
Fixed action pattern: series of automatic reactions that an organism performs in response to a stimulus
once stickleback sees red, its action toward stimulus (attacking)
Altricial (animal examples)
born undeveloped
robin, woodpecker
Precocial (animal examples)
born more independent, active from hatching
chicken, duck
Chaffinch experiments by Thorpe
put male in acoustic isolation:
has simple subsong
full song achieved when young bird could hear tape recording of adult male
window of sensitivity
Developmental Homeostasis defined (animal example)
mechanisms within organism that help guide the course of development to a normal state
animals stay on a pattern of development that keeps them in the right direction
- rhesus money experiment – metal mothers with milk, money still drinks milk to stay on track
Harlow Experiments (rhesus monkey) What did they show
isolated monkeys from birth
3 month isolation could come back
6 month isolation could come back if put with 3 month olds
12 month isolation couldn’t come back
