Responding to the Environment Flashcards
Define Behaviour
An animal response to a stimulus
Define ‘innate behaviour’
Any animal response that occurs without the need for learning. It is an inherited response, similar in all members of the same species and is always performed in the same way in response to the same stimulus.
Define ‘learned behaviour’
Animal responses that change or adapt with experience. There is a range of learned behaviours identified, from simply leaning not to respond to a repeated stimulation, to the ability to consider a problem and formulate a solution.
What are innate behaviours most useful for?
Short life spans
Species which do not look after their offspring
Define ‘reflexes’
An innate behaviour which allows escape from predators
Define ‘kineses’
Kineses is an orientation behaviours where the rate of movement increases where the organism is in unfavourable conditions
Define ‘taxes’
Taxes is a directional orientation response where the direction is determined by chemical (chemo) or light (photo) stimulus.
Why are learned behaviours important for humans?
Longer life spans
Care for their offsprings
Social groups
Define Habituation
The ability to ignore certain stimulus after repeated exposure after a long period of time
Define Imprinting
Young animals become associated with other organisms, usually a parent. This occurs in a sensitive/receptive period.
Define Classical Conditioning
Animals learn to relate a pair of events which produces a passive/involuntary response to the stimulus.
Define Operant Conditioning
This is where stimuli are used to reinforce certain actions. This requires some trial and error from the animal in order to find out which action produces the reward and which action produces the punishment.
Define Latent Learning
Animals explore the environment and retain information which may come in useful in the future. For example, escape routes can be planned in order to escape predation.
Define insight learning
This is the ability to reason and solve problems without the use of reflex responses or trial and error. Once this problem has been solved, the solution is remembered.
Define DRD4
DRD4 is one of the five genes that code for dopamine receptor molecules. Dopamine can bind to each of these receptor molecules but they cause differing effects because they lead to different cellular responses.
What are abnormally low levels of dopamine associated with?
Parkinson’s disease. This can be treated with L-Dopa, a precursor to dopamine.
What are the side effects of L-Dopa?
It can cause other mental health problems, such as schizophrenia, and also cause high levels of addictive behaviour leading to drug or gambling problems
What is the supposed cause of ADHD?
High levels of a variant of the DRD4 gene.
What drug is used to help treat ADHD?
Ritalin (methylphenidate)
Define Psychosis
A mental health condition, characterised by an impaired grasp on reality, diminished impulse control and disorder of perception (such as hallucinations)