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Animal
Behavior
Chapter 34
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What is a behavior?
Any response to a stimulus (an
external signal)
Examples of stimuli
•Sounds
•Smells
•Sights (light vs dark)
Why do behaviors exist?
Most behaviors have some
evolutionary history (the behavior
aided survival)
Can you think of any examples of
behaviors that might have helped
our ancestors survive?
Two Types of Behavior
Innate – behavior you are
born with, also called
INSTINCTS
Learned – behavior that
develops through experience
Some human instincts….Grasping reflex
Holding breath when submerged
Pupil dilation
Even very young babies can learn to swim
Learned Behaviors
1.Habituation
2.Classical Conditioning
3.Operant Conditioning
4.Insight Learning
HABITUATIONWhen your body becomes accustomed to a stimulus. Ex.: Some animals respond to loud noises by hiding. If the noises are repeated, the animal stops hiding.
Baby toys are designed to stimulate their brains. Babies learn by "trial and error"
Classical ConditioningPairing two stimuli together, response becomes the same Pavlov's Dogs - ring a bell when feeding dogs. Eventually, the dogs would salivate when they heard the bell ring.
OPERANT CONDITIONING
Involves "training" a behavior using a reward or punishment system.
Examples: Rat gets treat when it hits a lever Rat gets shocked when it climbs a structure Dog gets treat when it sits on command
The Skinner Box used to train rats
Insight LearningInvolves using the brain to develop solutions to problems never before encountered. This is not "trial-and-error." The animal (or human) must build on prior experiences to solve a problem
Have you ever noticed that when a dog tied outside gets tangled in its leash, he can't figure out how to get untangled
Imprinting
Many kinds of animals innately do not recognize members of its species.
Early in life they learn the distinction.
It is irreversible.
Internal and External Influences
Some animals undergo hibernation or estivation because of a weather change.
Dominance HierarchiesAggressive behavior in animals leads
to dominant and submissive animals.
This an innate behavior
BEHAVIORAL CYCLES
*Animals respond to periodic changes in environment - daily or seasonal cycles
1. Migration (movement during a season)
2. Circadian rhythms (sleep & wake)
COURTSHIP
Sounds, visual displays or chemicals used to attract a mate
Social Behavior
Animals live in a "society" that has its own rules and structure
- Chimpanzee troops- Insect colonies- Wolf/Dog Packs- Human Societies
COMPETITIONOccurs between animals, usually for
resources (space, water, food)
TERRITORY - space protectedby an animal
AGGRESSION - threatening behavior
What queues does this dog give that does not want Cesar to approach?
COMMUNICATION - passing information, can be visual, sounds or chemicals
LANGUAGE - using symbols to represent objects and even ideas
* Only humans are capable of true language
Apes can learn symbols, but not abstract
ideas, like...
Freedom, Love, Obsession, Courage, Morality
