Animal Behavior

A multidisciplinary approach to understanding animal behavior.

Innate behaviors triggered by specific stimuli, like following parents.

A rapid learning process where young animals bond with caregivers.

A framework for studying animal behavior, covering function, mechanism, development, and evolutionary history.

A key figure in ethology, known for studying fixed action patterns and imprinting.

Associating stimuli that occur close together in time and place.

Associating an action with a consequence (reward or punishment).

Stimuli appearing close together in time or space.

Reliable connection between stimuli and outcome.

Stimulus that initially does not trigger a response.

The study of animals' social behavior, examining how biology affects it.

Involves a range of processes, including learning and environmental influences, especially as young animals grow.

The process where survival-valued social behaviors are favored and spread through a population.

Animal behaviors that are influenced by the environment & can change and disappear based on their value to survival.

Inherited responses to stimuli, enabling species to react appropriately.

Feeding, mating, caring for young, and showing aggression are examples.

Natural selection shapes instinctive behaviors, making them suited for a species' environment.

Honeybees have instincts for long-distance navigation and communication.

Bees use a dance to indicate food location, based on learned routes.

The process of choosing specific animals for breeding to enhance desired traits in offspring. This is how diverse dog breeds have been created over many generations.

Behavioral patterns unique to a single species. These behaviors can be crucial for species recognition, mating rituals, and survival.

Variations in animal behavior due to inherited traits. Laboratory experiments with mice show how different strains exhibit varying levels of docility.

Consistent, instinctive behaviors triggered by specific stimuli. Initially thought to be identical in all members of a species, but later discovered to be more complex.

A common parental feeding method where a parent bird regurgitates partially digested food for its offspring. Triggered by the chick pecking a specific spot on the parent's beak.

A principle in animal behavior stating that if a deceased individual can perform a task, it doesn't qualify as behavior. Only living organisms demonstrate behavior.

Charles Darwin revolutionized the study of animal behavior with his theory of evolution. His work explained how animal behaviors are shaped by natural selection, promoting survival and reproduction.

Natural selection favors behaviors that increase an animal's chances of survival and reproduction. These advantageous behaviors are passed down through generations.

Behaviors that are genetically programmed and do not require learning. These behaviors are often crucial for survival.

The study of animal behavior from an evolutionary perspective examines how behaviors have changed over time to adapt to specific environments.

Dogs learned to associate a bell sound with food, salivating when they heard the bell even without seeing food.

A previously neutral stimulus (like a bell) that triggers a learned response after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus (like food).

A learned response (like salivation) that occurs in response to a conditioned stimulus.

A school of thought in psychology that focuses on observable behavior and how it is learned through environmental influences and conditioning.

Behaviors, including emotions and thoughts, are learned responses to stimuli in the environment.

Trial-and-error learning where an animal learns to perform a specific action to get a desired outcome.

A consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

A consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Adding something to increase a behavior. Example: Giving a dog a treat for sitting.

Taking something away to increase a behavior. Example: Taking away a teenager's chores for finishing homework.

Adding something to decrease a behavior. Example: Using an air horn to stop a dog from barking.

Removing something to decrease a behavior. Example: Turning your back on a dog when they jump on you.

A stimulus with a biological basis (e.g., food, water), needing little prior conditioning to be effective.

A neutral or weakly positive stimulus (e.g., games, gold stars), needing some prior learning to be effective.

Focuses on positive reinforcement methods and negative punishment to modify animal behavior.

Positive punishment can have negative consequences like fear, aggression, and damage to the relationship.