Lecture 3: Instinct and Learning Flashcards
What is instinct?
A highly stereotyped behavior more complex than the simplest reflexes that appears in a fully functional form the first time it is performed; instinct is intelligent adaptive behavior.
What is instinct?
A highly stereotyped behavior more complex than the simplest reflexes that appears in a fully functional form the first time it is performed.
Is instinct purely genetic?
often thought to be but not necessarily there are definitely learned components though.
Instinct vs. Learning
no clear cut dichotomy but many instincts are modified by learning experiences; instinct involves the egg and goose experiment (See pg 9)
In Lorenz and Tinbergen’s experiment, what happened when the egg was removed after the goose extended its neck?
The goose performed same motion as though the egg was present.
In Lorenz and Tinbergen’s experiment, what happened when the egg was replaced with a rounded object such as a baseball of beer can?
The goose performed same motion as though the egg was present.
In Lorenz and Tinbergen’s experiment, when the goose was presented with the choice between its own egg and a volleyball, which did the goose prefer?
the volleyball
In Lorenz and Tinbergen’s experiment, what ultimately happened to foreign objects in the nest?
The goose later recognized and discarded items but this behavior is a separate program of behavior unit with its own special cues and motor responses.
What are the 4 components of instinct?
- FAP, 2. IRM 3. releaser as a sign of stimulus 4. supernormal stimuli
What is a FAP?
Fixed action pattern: innate and stereotyped coordination and patterning of several muscle movements which when released proceed to completion without requiring further sensory input. Ex) egg rolling response of goose
What is an IRM?
Innate releasing mechanism: innate and highly schematic filter (recognition threshold)
What is an IRM?
Innate releasing mechanism: innate and highly schematic filter (recognition threshold) which, when stimulated releases the FAP ex) goose has innate filter which automatically recognizes an egg like object
What is a releaser and what does it signify?
Releaser= sign stimulus; the feathers of a stimulus (ie. cues) required to trigger an innate releasing mechanism (which then produces a FAP) ex) rounded edges of round like object
What are supernormal stimuli?
Stimuli that are perceived as being of greater value (ie. larger or more potent than normal stimuli) For example, when the goose preferred larger egg like objects.
What is motivation?
Relatively short term ability of animals to switch their behavioral priorities
Give examples of short term behavioral changes.
hunger, thirst, fight/flight, circadian rhythms like sleep, mating
What are the 3 characteristics of mating?
- vigor may decrease, 2. strength or quality of releaser required for FAP which rises with repeated stimulation 3. strength or quality of releaser required to elicit FAP decreases with time in absence of stimulation
What are the 4 parts of Lorenz’s hydraulic model or motivation?
- motivational energy required 2. releaser 3. innate releasing mechanism 4. FAP
When is the FAP or consumatory response strongest in Lorenz’s hydraulic model of motivation? When would you get grace intensity?
When more liquid accumulates or when stimulus is strongest