Nature and Nurture

Question 1

Ontogeny

Answer 1

The change in an organism’s behaviour over its lifetime.

Question 2

Plasticity

Answer 2

Robust Behaviours: Develops the same way in different environmental contexts.
Plastic Behaviours: Development is altered by environmental input.

Question 3

5 Conditions for Evolution of Plasticity:

Answer 3

1. Variation in history of environment
2. Optimal phenotype must differ between environments
3. Consistent mapping between environment and optimal phenotype
4. Reliable predictive cues of environmental future
5. Costs of plasticity must be outweighed by benefits