parental behaviour Flashcards
what is parental behaviour?
activities on the part of the parents that influence the development of their offspring from conception to completed independence
parental care has evolved multiple times independently
what are the functions of parental behaviour?
- shelter construction
- grooming
- thermoregulation
- nourishment
- protection
what is maternal behaviour?
behaviour that contributes to the growth, development and survival of the offspring
what is maternal investment?
the care/effort provided to the current offspring that reduces the capacity of the mother to invest in future offspring
what are life history strategies?
the various investments in growth, reproduction and survivorship
what are the maternal decisions in regards to life strategies?
rate of nutrient delivery, response to infant signals and parental conflict (needs vs what can give)
what the the two types of infant strategies?
precocial: nearly fully developed at birth (ducks, geese)
altricial: underdeveloped at birth (mammals and birds)
different types of maternal styles
protective: responsible for approach, contact, nursing
restrictive: controls proximity and contact
relaxed: mother and infant responsible
rejecting: mother prevents nursing and limits contact
what factors affect maternal style
social status
parity
social structure
social context
hormonal regulation of mothering
prolactin: milk production and incubation
oxytocin: bond formation
testosterone: reduction in males
glucocorticoids: produced when there is a brief separation from the mother
epigenetic effects of hormonal regulation in terms of mothering
amount of maternal licking and grooming affects how rat pups respond to stress later in life, there is a modification of the glucocorticoids receptor gene
what is imprinting?
any kind of chase-sensitive learning that is paid and independent of the consequences of behaviour
(there is a critical period that imprinting occurs in)
what responses are there to separation? (parental behaviour)
is separation is brief then it produces signals which increase HPA activation and increase heart rate
if separation is prolonged then there is a reduced cardiovascular response and a reduction in growth hormone production
stress and the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary- arden-cortical)
if its acute, then it is beneficial and is used for energy mobilisation and fight/flight
if it is chronic then it is deleterious, suppressing reproduction and depressing the immune response. it arrests growth
what is filial attachment?
a strong emotional bond that an infant forms with a caregiver. viewed as a basis for normal emotional and social development
