Introduction to Ethology

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Questions and Answers

What are the two types of influences that can modify an animal's behaviour?

Environmental and pharmacologic influences.

What are the three steps in describing a behaviour?

Structure, consequences, and patterns.

What are the six patterns of behaviour?

Courtship and mating, parental care, social affiliation, feeding, defence, and periodic or cyclic.

What is the purpose of courtship and mating behaviours?

To help members of the same species identify and select mates. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the number of offspring produced and the amount of energy invested in parental care?

The number of offspring produced is usually inversely proportional to the amount of energy invested in parental care. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of social affiliation behaviours?

To reinforce social bonds between animals in a group. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of foraging behaviours?

To locate, obtain, and consume food. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a behaviour that can be modified through counterconditioning?

A cat that is fearful of being touched showing aggressive behaviours when approached by a human. Signup and view all the answers

What is the key factor in determining whether a series of movements is considered a behaviour?

The context of why it occurred and not in isolation Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of an animal's actions?

Survival, ensured by obtaining resources such as food, space, communication, and reproduction Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between innate and learned behaviour?

Innate behaviour is genetically hardwired and can be performed without prior experience, while learned behaviour is developed through experience Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the nature vs nurture debate in the context of animal behaviour?

Both instinct and learning are essential for survival and allow animals to adapt to their environment Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of imprinting, and what is its significance?

Imprinting is a phase-sensitive learning process that is rapid and independent of behavioural consequences, and is significant in forming social bonds Signup and view all the answers

What are the three factors that influence an animal's behaviour?

Genetics, environment, and learning (previous experience) Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between habituation, desensitisation, and sensitisation?

Habituation is stopping responding to repeated, inconsequential events, desensitisation is a decrease in response due to gradual exposure, and sensitisation is an increase in response to a stimulus Signup and view all the answers

What is counterconditioning, and how does it affect an animal's response to a stimulus?

Counterconditioning is a process that changes the way an animal feels about a stimulus, resulting in a change in their response Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Behaviour and Ethology

Behaviour: a series of movements with a beginning, middle, and an end, considered in the context of why it occurred
Ethology: the study of animal behaviour

Goal-Driven Actions

Goal-driven actions are essential for survival, ensuring the obtaining of resources such as food, space, communication, and reproduction
Measurable at the level of the entire animal

Forms of Behaviour

Innate behaviour: genetically hardwired in an organism, can be performed in response to a cue without prior experience (e.g., knee jerk)
Learned behaviour: a behavioural response developed due to experience

Nature vs Nurture

Instinct (nature) and learning (nurture) are essential for survival, allowing animals to adapt their behaviour to their environment
Adaptation occurs through two processes: evolution (at a population level) and learning (at an individual level)

Influences on Behaviour

3 factors influencing behaviour: genetics, environment (current), and learning (previous experience)
The 3 S's in behaviour: selection, socialisation, and stimulation

Learning and Conditioned Response

Imprinting: phase-sensitive learning that is rapid and independent of behavioural consequences (e.g., social bond formed with mother geese)
Habituation: stopping response to repeated, inconsequential events
Desensitisation: decrease in response due to gradual exposure to a stimulus
Sensitisation: increase in response to a stimulus
Counterconditioning: changing the way an animal feels about a stimulus, resulting in changes in their response

Environmental and Pharmacologic Influences

Environmental factors/triggers: physical, space, stimuli (visual/olfactory/auditory), other animals, devices/objects
Pharmacologic influences: drug therapy

Describing Behaviour

3 steps for describing behaviour:
1. Structure: appearance of the physical manifestation of a behaviour (e.g., lick paw and swipe over face)
2. Consequences: effects of behaviour on the animal, another animal, or the environment (e.g., grooming)
3. Patterns: event (short duration) or state (long duration) (e.g., removing fluff from whisker & full face groom)

Patterns of Behaviour

6 patterns of behaviour:
1. Courtship and mating
2. Parental care
3. Social affiliation
4. Feeding
5. Defence – territorial
6. Periodic or cyclic – migration

Patterns of Behaviour (In-Depth)

Courtship and Mating

Behaviours that help members of the same species identify and select mates
Sexual selection: an evolutionary mechanism that increases an individual's chance of breeding and passing on genetic information

Parental Care

Reproduction and care of offspring require a lot of energy
In mammals, usually provided by the female, allowing males to maximise reproductive output

Reinforces social bonds between animals in a group
Examples: allogrooming, smiling/waving, play, mutual benefit to all animals involved

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Description

Learn about the basics of ethology, the study of animal behaviour, including what constitutes behaviour, its goal-driven nature, and the context in which it's considered.