tool use in animal construction behaviour- M.Hansell, G.Ruxton

Question 1

why may tool use be rare?

Answer 1

due to high cognitive ability

less situations where tool use is advantageous over anatomical adaptations

Question 2

what are 3 things Benjamin beck said an object in tool use must be:

Answer 2

• not be part of the animal itself
• not be attached to the environment
• manipulated to achieve beneficial outcome

Question 3

why are orb web spiders a borderline case?

Answer 3

the webs are attached to a substrate

Question 4

what is construction behaviour

and example

Answer 4

something constructed and must necessitate behaviour

• sculpting environment to make a burrow
• nest construction

Question 5

what is the bird and thorn example of tool use?

Answer 5

uses thorn to extract insect love fro under tree bark

Question 6

what 5 cases are excluded by both beck and hansell?

Answer 6

1. gull dropping mollusc shell on ground
2. chimp climbing fence for food
3. elephant rubbing on tree
4. moth pheromone to attract mate
5. rhino wallowing in mud

Question 7

what is included by both beck and hansell?

Answer 7

all tool making behaviour

Question 8

what 7 cases are excluded by beck and included by hansell?

Answer 8

1. nest building
2. beaver dam building
3. bower building
4. solitary insect home building
5. social insect nest building
6. spider web building
7. ant bridges

Question 9

give 2 borderline hansell cases

Answer 9

1. wasp uses stone hammer to seal nest burrow

2. chimp uses anvil to crack nut

Question 10

what 4 cases are included by beck?

Answer 10

1. hermit crab uses another shell as home
2. archer fish squirts water to catch prey
3. heron uses bait tools
4. chimp waves stick as threat

Question 11

what did construction behaviour nd tool use tend to be excluded from?

Answer 11

debate on evolution of human intelligence

Question 12

what are 4 distortions of this?

Answer 12

• tool use interpreted in terms of hominid evolution
• has been isolated from other construction behaviours
• lack of distinction between tool use and construction
• human like attributes of tool use

Question 13

what can studying tool use reveal?

Answer 13

underlying cognitive processes but not cognitive complexity

Question 14

what does the fact tool use can be picked up with little understanding show?

Answer 14

genetic influences in development of tool behaviour

Question 15

what presumption about construction behaviour should be avoided?

Answer 15

that all construction behaviour needs similar cognitive ability

Question 16

what do some construction behaviours show?

Answer 16

stereotypy without learning

Question 17

what do spiders modify their web structure in response to?

Answer 17

type of prey caught and position of web

Question 18

how often do chimps use tools?

Answer 18

3-4 months of year

Question 19

what do female dolphins use to protect them while foraging?

Answer 19

sponge tools

Question 20

what do birds increase their tool dependence by in dry seasons?

Answer 20

50%

Question 21

when are tools used?

Answer 21

only if a beneficial outcome and more of an advantage that anatomical adaptations