Lecture 23- Animal Behavior

Question 1

What is the difference between proximate and ultimate causation?

Answer 1

Proximate causation refers to an event that is immediately responsible for causing some observed result, whereas ultimate (distal) causation is concerned with the underlying mechanisms causing the behavior

Question 2

What is a circannual rhythm?

Answer 2

Any biological rhythm involving a biological or physiological process that occurs or fluctuates at intervals of approximately one year (even in controlled environments from which seasonal cues have been eliminated)

Question 3

What is the difference between classical conditioning and operant conditioning?

Answer 3

Classical conditioning involves associating an involuntary response and a stimulus, whereas operant conditioning is about associating a voluntary behavior with a reward or consequence

Question 4

What is spatial learning/memory?

Answer 4

Process by which an organism acquires a mental representation of its environment

Question 5

What is a fixed action pattern?

Answer 5

Instinctive (innate) behavioral response to a sign stimulus

Question 6

How is communication defined?

Answer 6

Communication is the transmission and reception of mutually recognizable signals

Question 7

In _________ conditioning, a new stimulus is associated with a pre-existing response through repeated pairing of new and previously known stimuli

Answer 7

Classical

Question 8

How is behavior defined?

Answer 8

Action carried out by muscles under control of nervous system

Question 9

What is circadian rhythm?

Answer 9

A natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle (repeats approximately every 24 hours)

Question 10

With regards to behavior, what is imprinting?

Answer 10

Establishment of a long-lasting behavioral response to a particular individual or object (both innate and learning components)

Question 11

An animal that is _________ is said to have no strong pair bonds

Answer 11

Promiscuous

Question 12

True or False: An organism can prevent a fixed action pattern from proceeding to completion

Answer 12

False; once a fixed action pattern is initiated, it will proceed to completion even if the stimulus is removed

Question 13

In ________ conditioning, an animal learns to perform a behavior more or less frequently through a reward or punishment that follows the behavior

Answer 13

Operant

Question 14

What is the difference between the polygamy and polyandry patterns of mating?

Answer 14

In polygamy, one male has more than one female mate, compared to polyandry, in which one female has more than one male mate

Question 15

What is a sign stimulus?

Answer 15

Stimulus that provokes a fixed action pattern response

Question 16

What is the difference between innate behavior and learned behavior?

Answer 16

Innate behavior does not vary among individuals, whereas learned behavior varies with experience and differs between individuals

Question 17

Behavioral imprinting occurs during a ______ period

Answer 17

Sensitive

Question 18

With regards to sexual dimorphism, what is the difference between monogamous species and polygamous species?

Answer 18

In monogamous species, the appearance of the sexes are similar, whereas in polygamous species, the sex that attracts multiple partners tends to be showier and larger than the opposite sex

Question 19

Classical conditioning and operant conditioning are considered ______________ learning

Answer 19

Associative

Question 20

Both direct fitness and indirect fitness can be broadly categorized as ___________ fitness

Answer 20

Inclusive

Question 21

___________ learning proposes that people learn from one another, via observation, initiation, and modeling

Answer 21

Social

Question 22

What does the optimal foraging model/theory state?

Answer 22

Although obtaining food provides an animal with energy, searching for and capturing the food require both energy and time (animals forage to minimize cost and maximize benefit)

Question 23

What is monogamy?

Answer 23

Formation of a strong pair bond with one mate for at least one mating season

Question 24

What is sexual dimorphism?

Answer 24

Distinct difference in appearance between the sexes of an animal

Question 25

What is altruism?

Answer 25

Behavior that lowers an animal’s individual fitness but increases fitness of other individuals in the population

Question 26

What is kin selection?

Answer 26

Form of indirect natural selection that increases fitness through breeding success of close relatives