Week 7 - Animal behaviour Flashcards
What is the definition of animal behaviour ?
The way an animal responds to its environment by tracking cues and signals from its environment
What are the steps involved in studying animal behaviour?
- Ask a question, make preliminary observations, form a hypothesis
- Define behavioural metrics, design study ethically
- Collect ‘hard’ data
- Data analysis, conclusions, communication of research
Does a directional hypothesis produce correlation or causation?
Causation
What is an ethogram?
It is an inventory/list of all behaviours a species might do
When categorising behaviour what 3 points are considered?
STRUCTURE = the physical form of behaviour
CONSEQUENCE = effects of the behaviour on the environment
SPATIAL RELATION = Features of the environment to other individuals e.g. horse [approaching]
Which 2 ways can behaviour be categorised?
Events - counted not timed (blinking)
or
States - Long duration (foraging, sleeping)
What does metric mean?
A defined behavioural variable that is measured
When recording behaviour what 2 things should be consider?
- The sampling rule
- The recording rule
What is focal sampling?
One individual is observed for a specific amount of time
What is scan sampling?
Whole group is scanned, behaviour of each individual is recorded at regular intervals
What are the 2 sampling methods?
Focal and scan
What are the 2 recording methods?
Continuous = exact record of behaviour, records every behaviour and notes down times of occurrence
Instantaneous = Session divided into intervals, at each interval behaviour is recorded
What is the difference between Anthropo[morphism] and Anthropo[centrism] ?
Anthropomorphism = attribution of human traits and emotions to animals
Anthropocentrism = Seeing animals from a human perspective
Who was Tinbergen ?
Was an ethologist who proposed the 4 questions to explain animal behaviour
What were Tingbergen’s 4 questions needed to explain animal behaviour?
- Function - why is the trait adaptive?
- Evolution - phylogeny
- Development - how did the trait emerge
across the life span (ontogeny) - Mechanism - how does the trait work ?
Which of the 4 are the proximate causes of behaviour (how it happens) ?
Mechanism and development
Which of the 4 are the ultimate causes of behaviour (why it happens) ?
Evolution and function
Which hormone is linked to mating behaviour?
Oestrogen
Which hormone is linked to stress?
Glucocorticoid
What is behavioural genetics?
The contribution genes make to behaviour
What role does the fosB gene have in parental care?
It determines whether female mice nurture their young effectively - if not activated they’re less caring
How can genes affect pair bonding behaviour?
Having neuropeptides Oxytocin and Vasopressin seems to increase pair bonding behaviours
What does habituation mean?
A decrease in response to a repeated stimulus
What is Filial imprinting?
Social attachment formed between parents and offspring
