Tinbergen's 4 questions

Question 1

What are the the two proximate questions?

Answer 1

• control/causation

- development/ontogeny

Question 2

Definition of proximate?

Answer 2

• initial happenings

- help us understand why the behaviour is being performed

Question 3

What are the two ultimate questions?

Answer 3

• function/adaption

- evolution/phylogeny

Question 4

Definition of ultimate?

Answer 4

• end result

- allow us to understand wider reasoning for behaviour in the population

Question 5

Example of why birds nest using the 4 questions to explain?

Answer 5

• control:nest building instincts activated by synchronised courtship displays
• development:refinement of nest height in accordance with environment variables change how they build the nest over their lifetime
• function: to protect the eggs and chicks to allow for next generation to continue the species and genes
• evolution:nests of incorrect size will cause high chick mortality, those genes won’t be passed on