Parental behaviour

Question 1

Define parental behaviour

Answer 1

• Activities on the part of the parents that can influence the development of their offspring from conception to completed independence
• Has the function of social learning, cleaning, food provision and thermoregulation

Question 2

What is maternal behaviour?

Answer 2

Behaviour that contributes to the growth,development, survival and subsequent fitness of offspring

Question 3

What is maternal expenditure?

Answer 3

The mother’s effort required for infant care within a specific event

Question 4

What is maternal investment?

Answer 4

Bhaviour in the form of care/effort that is invested in the current offspring which reduces the capacity of the mother to invest in future offspring

Question 5

What are 3 crucial types of maternal decisions?

Answer 5

• Rate of nutrient delivery
• Response to infant signals
• Conflict between what the infant needs and what the mother is willing to provide

Question 6

What is the difference bewteen precocial and altricial infant strategies?

Answer 6

precocial - fully/nearly developed at birth

altricial - underdeveloped at birth, needs to bring offspring food and create shelter

Question 7

What are the 4 maternal styles?

Answer 7

Protective - mother responsible for approach, contact and nursing
Restrictive - mother controls proximity and contact
Relaxed - Mother and infant responsible for approaches
Rejecting - mother prevents nursing and limits contacts

Question 8

What factors affect maternal styles?

Answer 8

Social status, parity (how many previous offspring), social structure and social context

Question 9

What hormones are associated with parenting behaviour?

Answer 9

Prolactin - associated with feeding and milk production
Oxytocin - bond formation
Testosterone - reproduction in males
Glucocoticoids - brief separation from mother

Question 10

Give an example of an epigenetic effect caused by parenting style?

Answer 10

• Ammount of maternal grooming determines how rats respond to stress later on in life
• Modification of the glucocorticoid receptor gene in the hippocampus

Question 11

What is imprinting?

Answer 11

Any kind of phase-sensitive learning that is rapid and independent of the consequences of behaviour. Can be fillial/sexual however not all targets have the same power

Question 12

What response is seen in infants to brief separation from a parent?

Answer 12

• Increase locomotor signals
• Producing of alarm signals
• HPA activation
• Increased heart rate

Question 13

What response is seen in infants to prolonged separation from a parent?

Answer 13

• Reduced cardiovascular response

- Reduced growth hormone secretion

Question 14

What is fillial attachment?

Answer 14

A strong emotional bond that an infant forms with a caregiver when viewed as a basis for normal emotional and social development