Animal Behavior Final Exam
Males compete by:
Fighting. They do not intend to kill, only impress females.
Define fitness? Why is it important to examine the fitness of each individual relative to others in the population?
Fitness is how likely an organism is to survive and reproduce. It is important to examine fitness of each individual because it shows which individual's natural selection is more prone to act on
This chapter discuss two types of teaching: a. opportunity teaching- teachers places to student in a situation conducive to learning a new skill or acquiring knowledge b. Coaching- altering the behavior of the students by encouragement or punishment Which teaching style do you prefer and why?
I prefer opportunity teaching because I learn better this way. I feel like coaching has a negative influence on teaching.
In Mendelian Genetics if you cross a homozygous dominant with a homozygous recessive what do you get in the F1? If you then cross two F1 individuals what will you get in the F2? Assume Q is tall and assume q is short.
If you cross a homozygous dominant with a homozygous recessive the F1 is heterozygous. If you then cross two F1 individuals F2 will be 1/4 homozygous dominant 1/2 heterozygous and 1/4 homozygous recessive.
What is a satellite male?
Looks like a female. They position themselves between spawning pair and fool the male into thinking he is a female. The male will try to mate both and the satellite male will shed the sperm to the female.
What is MHC?
Major histocompatibility complex
If you do a truncation experiment and the population mean values changes from 10 to 12 what does that tell you about any additive genetic variation
There is additive genetic variation
If after 10 generations of the same group in the question above the mean does not change any more what does this tell us about additive genetic variation? How do you explain the phenotypic variation found in the population? Is the trait still heritable? Explain.
There is no more added of genetic variation. The phenotypic variation stays the same. The trait is still heritable.
What is Bateman's principle?
Underlying principle of why females tend to be choosy and males are indiscriminate. Also, the variation in male reproductive success.
What is the formula of phenotypic variation? Decode each part.
VP= VG + VE VP= all variability VG= Genetic contribution to variance VE= environmental contribution to variance
What are two ways heritability can be measured?
Variation in genotype and variation in phenotype
Which of the following occurs as a result of parasitoid wasps being raised a cold temperatures during development? a. A change in a number of eggs that female lay inside of the host b. Change in the ability of females to discriminate parasitoid from unparasitoid hosts c. A change in the morphology of the ovipositor d. A and b e. A and c
d. A and b
Which of the following is NOT required for natural selection to operate? a. The resource in question must be limited in some way b. Variation in the trait of interest must exist c. Some mode of inheritance must exist d. All alleles in a population must be dominant alleles e. Traits influence an individuals relative expected contribution to the next generation
d. All alleles in a population must be dominant alleles
Ecotourism on Punta Tambo has affected Magellanic penguins in what ways? a. Adults appear habituated to the presence of humans b. Adults have a lower stress response to handling and release c. Chicks show incredibly high levels of stress hormones d. All of the above
d. All of the above
Appetitive stimulus is to excitatory conditioning as _____ is to _____ a. Sensitize stimulus; habituation b. Blocking semicolon positive reinforcement c. Negative stimulus; operant conditioning d. Aversive stimulus; inhibitory conditioning e. Classical conditioning; instrumental conditioning
d. Aversive stimulus; inhibitory conditioning
Horizontal cultural transmission refers to a situation in which information is passed: a. Specifically for a mother to daughter b. Directly from parent to offspring c. From adults to unrelated offspring d. Between individuals of the same age class e. Between individuals of different species
d. Between individuals of the same age class
When only a single copy of the allele is necessary for a trait to be expressed, the allele is said to be: a. Recessive b. Polygenic c. Co dominant d. Dominant e. Hyper dominant
d. Dominant
Which technique allows scientists to measure neuronal activity across large sections of animals brains? a. Polymerase chain reaction b. In situ hybridization c. Receptor autoradiography d. Functional magnetic resonance imaging e. X-rays
d. Functional magnetic resonance imaging
Which of the following is necessary for a chemical messenger such as a steroid hormone to initiate biochemical changes in the target cell? a. Axons b. Cell membrane c. Golgi apparatus d. Hormone receptor sites e. Pituitary
d. Hormone receptor sites
Which of the following represents the result of selection pressures on guppy populations located in high predation streams? a. Fewer and larger offspring per brood b. Increase growth rate in slower maturation rates c. Fewer broods of offspring and fast maturation rates d. Close range predator inspection and schooling in small groups e. Tight schooling behavior and frequent predator inspection
e. Tight schooling behavior and frequent predator inspection
When psychologists construct extinction curves they are examining: a. The lifespan of the organism in question b. The strength of an animal behavior response to instrumental conditioning c. How long are animal recalls associated events when continuously exposed to paired stimuli d. How long an animal remembers a paired association once the pairing has stopped e. How long it takes for sensitization to occur
d. How long an animal remembers a paired association once the pairing has stopped
Individual learning and cultural transmission differ in which ways? a. Individual learning alters the behavior of an organism within a lifetime, while cultural transmission does not. b. Individual learning can lead to the rapid spread of a behavior through a population, while cultural transmission cannot. c. Individual learning involves copying behavior of others, while cultural transmission does not. d. Individual learning does not permit the transmission of information across generations, while cultural transmission does. e. Individual learning allows behavioral traits to spread quickly through a population, both within an organisms lifetime and across generations, while transmission allows behavioral traits to spread through a population only across generations.
d. Individual learning does not permit the transmission of information across generations, while cultural transmission does.
W.D. Hamilton's inclusive fitness hypothesis states that: a. Total fitness depends only on the number of viable offspring an organism produces. b. The number of viable offspring sired contributes less to the total fitness that the number of related offspring an individual helps to rear. c. Total fitness is influenced to a large extent by helping to rear unrelated offspring. d. Total fitness is influenced only by the extent to which an individual helps rear offspring of blood relatives. e. Both one's own offspring and the benefits received from helping to raise related offspring contribute to total fitness.
e. Both one's own offspring and the benefits received from helping to raise related offspring contribute to total fitness.
When the FOXP2 gene is not out in young zebra finches their ability to__________ is severely impaired: a. Forage b. Learn complex songs c. Sing d. Fly e. Copy adult songs
e. Copy adult songs
An unconditioned stimulus is a stimulus that: a. Reinforces certain behavioral responses b. An animal habituates to immediately c. Fails to elicit a response unless associated with a second stimulus d. Inhibits an animal from performing certain behavioral responses e. Elicits a response in the absence of training
e. Elicits a response in the absence of training
Which of the following best depicts the initial chain of neuroendocrinological events that occur when an animal is exposed to a stressor? a. Increased CRH production in adrenal glands -> increased glucocorticoid production in the hypothalamus -> increased ACTH production in the interior pituitary gland b. Increase CRH production in the anterior pituitary gland -> decreased ACTH production in the hypothalamus -> decreased glucocorticoid production in the adrenal glands c. Increase CRH production in the interior pituitary gland -> increase glucocorticoid production in the adrenal glands -> increased a ACTH production in the hypothalamus d. Increase CRH production and hypothalamus -> decreased a CTH production in the anterior pituitary gland -> decreases glucocorticoid production in the adrenal glands e. Increase CRH production in the hypothalamus -> increased ACTH production in the anterior pituitary gland -> increase glucocorticoid production in the adrenal glands
e. Increase CRH production in the hypothalamus -> increased ACTH production in the anterior pituitary gland -> increase glucocorticoid production in the adrenal glands
Which form of cultural transmission is operating when information is transferred across generations but not via parent offspring interactions? a. Vertical cultural transmission b. Altruistic cultural transmission c. Horizontal cultural transmission d. Nepotistic cultural transmission e. Oblique cultural transmission
e. Oblique cultural transmission
Instrumental conditioning involves: a. Providing positive reinforcement only during conditioning b. Pairing of an unconditioned stimulus and conditioned stimulus c. Habituating the subjects to certain stimuli d. Preventing the animal from performing specific behaviors during the condition response e. Positive and/or negative reinforcement of a behavioral response
e. Positive and/or negative reinforcement of a behavioral response
Which of the following statements does NOT apply to Caro and Hauser's definition of teaching? a. The observer must be naïve b. The observer my acquire knowledge earlier in life when taught c. The teacher accrues some costs but modifying gets behavior d. The observer my learn skills that would never have been acquired in the absence of teaching e. Teaching provides immediate benefits for the teacher
e. Teaching provides immediate benefits for the teacher
Narrow-sense heritability analysis measures the proportion of variance in a trait attributable to: a. Combined genetic and environmental variance b. Environmental variance alone c. Maternal environment effects d. Phenotypic variants e. That proportion of genetic variance accessible to natural selection
e. That proportion of genetic variance accessible to natural selection
The phenotype of an organism is defined as: a. Those traits that are coded by recessive alleles b. Those traits that are not subject to natural selection c. The genes that an organism possesses d. Those traits that are coded by dominant alleles e. The sum of all observable traits including behavior and morphology
e. The sum of all observable traits including behavior and morphology
What is sexual selection?
A special case of natural selection related to the evolution of sexual characteristics
What is mate-choice copying?
A males probability of being preferred as a mate increases as the result of having been preferred before. Female preference is affected by other female choice. (Ex: grouse leks)
What are honest indicators?
Characteristics that cannot be faked.
What is sexual imprinting?
Early social experience that effects species recognition in adults during courtship and mating. Young usually learn from parents.
Based on the definitions provided in the text, what are the primary differences between individual learning and social learning?
Individual learning is something that you learn by yourself while social learning is lard within a group.
What is intrasexual selection and intersexual selection?
Intrasexual selection is when the same sex is competing for mating/reproduction (ex: male competition). Intersexual selection is when members one of sex choose the opposite sex member for mating/reproduction (ex: female choice)
What is a sneaker male?
Smaller, less aggressive, no territory. They hide near parental and swim in quickly to shed sperm.
How is it that something can be genetic and inherited but show a narrow sense of heritability of zero?
The trait is not variable.
Phenotypic plasticity refers to the ability of an organism to adopt: a. Alternative phenotypes depending on environmental and/or social conditions b. many different phenotypes simultaneously c. Different morphological phenotypes with no change in behavioral phenotype d. Different behavioral phenotypes within no change in morphological phenotype e. One specific phenotype that speaks throughout the organisms lifetime
a. Alternative phenotypes depending on environmental and/or social conditions
Which of the following scientist revolutionized the field of instrumental learning by developing an apparatus where in lever pushing would deliver a reward? a. B.F. Skinner b. Ivan Pavlov c. Edward Thorndike d. John Garcia e. Henry Harlow
a. B.F. Skinner
Genetic recombination involves: a. Exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during cell division b. Transposition of a section of DNA from one part of the genome to another c. Addition of a single nucleotide to a section of DNA d. Replacement of one nucleotide within a different nucleotide e. Deletion of a single nucleotide to a section of DNA
a. Exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during cell division
Voles possessing the long version allele of avpr l a are: a. More likely to exhibit parental care and more likely to be affiliative b. Less likely to exhibit parent care and less likely to be affiliative c. Less likely to exhibit predic care and more likely to be affiliative d. More likely to exhibit printal care but less likely to be affiliative e. None of the above
a. More likely to exhibit parental care and more likely to be affiliative
Which of the following best characterizes you eusocial naked mole rats? a. Overlapping generations, high relatedness, and reproductive division of labor b. Many queens and all males are reproductively active; low relatedness c. Reproductive division of labor without overlapping generations d. High relatedness but no communal care of the young e. Overlapping generations in her relatedness; all colony members reproduce
a. Overlapping generations, high relatedness, and reproductive division of labor
Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between genetic evolution and cultural evolution? a. Phenotypic effects of cultural evolution can be witnessed within a lifetime or in a few generations, while the phenotypic effects of phenotypic evolution occurs less rapidly b. Neither genetic evolution or cultural evolution can have a dramatic influence on the phenotype of an organism within a lifetime c. Both processes must operate for tens of thousands of generations for observable phenotypic affects to arise d. Cultural evolution occurs far less quickly than genetic evolution e. Phenotypic effects of both cultural evolution and genetic evolution almost evident within the lifetime of organism
a. Phenotypic effects of cultural evolution can be witnessed within a lifetime or in a few generations, while the phenotypic effects of phenotypic evolution occurs less rapidly
Neurons possess fibers called dendrites that perform which of the following functions? a. Receive electrochemical information from other cells in the nervous system b. transmit electrochemical information to other cells in a nervous system c. Serve as the space between cells into which neurotransmitters are released d. Package neurotransmitters and transport them to the synaptic gap e. Control the number of Tom's a neuron fi res depending on stimulus strength
a. Receive electrochemical information from other cells in the nervous system
Which of the following statements or phrases is NOT associated with the law of effect? a. Second order classical conditioning b. Association between stimulus and response being strengthened if the response to a stimulus is followed by a positive reinforcer c. Thorndike's early work on instrumental learning in cats and puzzles boxes d. Instrumental conditioning and operant responses e. Associations between stimulus and response being weekended if the response to a stimulus is followed by a negative reinforcer
a. Second order classical conditioning
Cultural transmission can be partitioned into which of the following two major sub categories? a. Social learning and teaching b. Contagion and local enhancement c. Copying and social learning d. Teaching and imitation e. Teaching and social facilitation
a. Social learning and teaching
Natural selection is best described as a process through which the frequency of: a. Traits that confer reproductive and/or survival success and that are heritable increase over generations. b. Certain traits increase over evolutionary time in a random fashion. c. Traits that confer reproductive and/or survival success increase over generations. d. Traits that are heritable over generations. e. Traits that hinder the reproductive and/or survival success and that are not heritable increase over generations.
a. traits that confer reproductive and/or survival success and that are heritable increase over generations.
One approximate factor related to ultraviolet vision in zebra inches involves: a. Changes in the curvature of the land, which helps to filter out certain wavelengths of light b. A single amino acid change that alters pigment characteristics c. Alterations to retinal structure that inhibit processing of violet pigments Alterations to retinal structure that inhibit processing a valid pigments d. Hormones that trigger the release of ultraviolet pigments from specific brain regions e. Advice number of genetic substitutions, the effects of which have yet to be quantified
b. A single amino acid change that alters pigment characteristics
Sensation is the process by which: a. Animals become less likely to exhibit a response to a stimulus overtime b. Animals become more likely to exhibit a response to a stimulus overtime c. Learning to associate one CS with a US blocks the ability to associate another CS with the same US d. One event predicts the occurrence of a second event e. One event predicts that a second event will not occur
b. Animals become more likely to exhibit a response to a stimulus overtime
The three foundations of ethology are: a. Molecular genetics, natural selection, and learning b. Cultural transmission, natural selection, and learning c. Neurobiology, anthropology, and psychology d. Psychology, learning, and cultural transmission e. Endocrinology, developmental biology, and natural selection
b. Cultural transmission, natural selection, and learning
Polar hormones: a. Readily across the cell membrane b. Do not readily cross the membrane c. Cross equally as easy as non-polar hormones
b. Do not readily cross the membrane
Which of the following statements about hormones is FALSE? a. Hormonal state can affect the strength and form of a behavioral response b. Hormones in the endocrine system influence behavior independent of the nervous system c. Hormones are secreted by ductless glands, which comprise the endocrine system d. Hyposecretion or hypersecretion of hormones can have dramatic affects on many behaviors e. Hormones can affect the organization of behavior
b. Hormones in the endocrine system influence behavior independent of the nervous system
Which statement best represents a approximate explanation for bright plumage (or the choice of bright males)? a. Females that mate with bright colored males produce more viable offspring relative to those that make with dull males. b. Males acquire brightly colored plumage by feeding on carotenoid based foods c. Males with bright plumage experience higher reproductive success than males with dull plumage d. Females prefer brightly colored males because they receive direct or indirect benefits from doing so
b. Males acquire brightly colored plumage by feeding on carotenoid based foods
Marlene Zuk's work on field crickets on the Hawaiian islands has shed much light on how natural selection can operate in the world over short periods of time. Which of the following phrases best describes Zuk's primary findings? a. Parasitic flies killed all of the field crickets on the island of Kauai. b. Parasitic flies exerted strong selection on wing morphology of the field crickets, rendering them in capable of producing song. c. Parasitic flies ate the wings of field crickets on the island of Kauai, rending the crickets incapable of producing song. d. Parasitic flies exerted strong selection on wing morphology of the field crickets, making them produce more elaborate song. e. There was no significant relation between parasitic flies and any characteristic of the field crickets.
b. Parasitic flies exerted strong selection on wing morphology of the field crickets, rendering them in capable of producing song.
Set of genes that contribute to the expression of a behavioral trait are called: a. Mapped genes b. Quantitative trait loci c. Recombinant loci d. Transposable elements e. Monogenic alleles
b. Quantitative trait loci
Which factor can be used to discriminate local enhancement and social facilitation? a. The distance between an observer and other individuals b. The actions of other individuals versus the mere presence of other individuals c. The behavior of the observer after observing other individuals d. Whether the observer interacts with a single individual or a group of individuals e. Whether the observers response is innate or learned
b. The actions of other individuals versus the mere presence of other individuals
Which two family factors interact to determine the amount of parental care that female prairie voles give to their young? a. Temperature and whether the individual was raised by a single parent versus both parents b. The amount of parental care received during development and whether the individuals raised by a single parent versus both parents c. Alterations to retinal structure that inhibit processing a violet pigments d. The level of the aggression between young voles and whether the individual was raised by single parent versus both parents e. Temperature and the level of aggression between young voles
b. The amount of parental care received during development and whether the individuals raised by a single parent versus both parents
One method for measuring the genetic quality is: a. The symmetry of swallow tails b. The asymmetry of swallow tails c. The size of the swallow
b. The asymmetry of swallow tails
Which of the following statements regarding Toma and colleagues work on the per gene and forging in honeybees is FALSE? a. Per gene mRNA expression was the greatest in young bees that remained at the nest b. The per gene was used as a candidate gene involved in the control of developmental changes to foraging behavior c. Per gene mRNA expression was quantified in their studies d. Young precaucious forgers had similar per mRNA levels as typical older forgers e. Studies were conducted in both laboratory and natural populations of honeybees
b. The per gene was used as a candidate gene involved in the control of developmental changes to foraging behavior
Xenophobia is best describes as the: a. Fear of scarce resources b. Fear of unknown individuals from outside one's group c. Fear of arid environments d. Fear of disruption of group dynamics e. Fear of living underground
b. fear of unknown individuals from outside one's group.
Cultural transmission is best defined as: a. A process by which past experience modifies current behavior b. A means by which information is transmitted between individuals in primate groups c. A system of information transferred that influences and individuals phenotop via social learning or teaching d. The transfer of information from experienced individuals to naïve individuals e. The genetic transmission of traits across generations
c. A system of information transferred that influences and individuals phenotop via social learning or teaching
Alleles are defined as: a. Combined genetic and environmental variance b. Regions of a chromosome containing a set of genes that contributes to the expression of a single trait c. Alternative forms or variants of the same gene d. Those jeans that cannot be subject to natural selection e. Genes that require two copies to be expressed
c. Alternative forms or variants of the same gene
Copying refers to a form of social learning in which: a. An observer requires a novel response by witnessing a demonstrator exhibit that response b. The mere presence of a model individual facilitates learning another individuals c. An observer repeats the behavior exhibited by model individual d. The performance of an instinctive pattern of behavior in one individual acts as a releaser for the same behavior in the other individuals e. Observers are drawn to an area containing other individuals and subsequently learn on their own
c. An observer repeats the behavior exhibited by model individual
Conceptual approaches to ethology involve: a. Generating complex mathematical models of the world to establish explicit predictions about animal behavior. b. Conducting controlled experiments in the field to test hypotheses related to animal behavior. c. Combining ideas from different sub-disciplines in a novel way to generate new sets of predictions about animal behavior. d. Conducting controlled experimental studies in a laboratory to test hypotheses related to animal behavior. e. Neglecting past observations and experiments in order to generate novel concepts concerning animal behavior.
c. Combining ideas from different sub-disciplines in a novel way to generate new sets of predictions about animal behavior.
Analogous traits can result from which evolutionary process? a. Divergent evolution b. Correlated evolution c. Convergent evolution d. Polar evolution e. Homologous evolution
c. Convergent evolution
When young cichlids are raised with adults or adults and helpers they tend to: a. Display less cost-effective territorial defense behaviors b. Avoid establishing territories altogether c. Display more cost-effective territorial defense behaviors d. Exhibit extreme forms of aggression e. Mate earlier
c. Display more cost-effective territorial defense behaviors
Which of the following factors does not generate new variation in a population? a. Transposition b. Migration c. Heritability d. Genetic recombination e. Base mutation
c. Heritability
David Stephen's model of learning and environmental stability predicts that learning will be favored when environmental predictability is: a. low within the individuals lifetime but high between generations b. High within an individuals lifetime and between generations c. High within an individuals lifetime but low between generations d. Low within an individuals lifetime and between generations e. Intermediate with an individuals lifetime and high between generations
c. High within an individuals lifetime but low between generations
Which of the following statement(s) are NOT true? a. Past experiences can alter behavior within the lifetime of an individual via learning. b. The ability to learn can be genetically encoded. c. Learning and natural selection operate independently. d. Natural selection can operate on the ability to learn. e. Learning can change behavior within generations, while natural selection can change the frequency of different learning rules across generations.
c. Learning and natural selection operate independently.
Traditions are defined as situations in which: a. Old preferences persist in a new group through time b. New preferences emerge and then become lost in a group through time c. New preferences emerge and then become common in a group overtime d. Old preferences become amplified through social learning e. Old preferences are suppressed but only some individuals within a group
c. New preferences emerge and then become common in a group overtime
Social learning, tool use, an innovation in primates are: a. Negatively correlated with executive brain volume corrected for body size b. Negatively correlated with body size c. Positively correlated with absolute executive brain volume d. Positively correlated with executive brain volume corrected for body size e. Positively correlated with body cells corrected for executive brain volume
c. Positively correlated with absolute executive brain volume
Learning is best defined as: a. A process by which only aversive stimuli elicit changes in behavior b. A permanent change in behavior resulting from hormonal but not neurobiological changes c. Relatively permanent change in behavior as a result of experience d. Changes in behavior that result from past experience e. Process by which only positive stimuli elicit changes in behavior
c. Relatively permanent change in behavior as a result of experience
Which of the following is NOT part of the procedure for QTL mapping? a. Selection of parental strains that differ considerably in their behavior b. Selection of parental strains that differ at a set of marker alleles c. Selection of parental strains that are heterozygous at the marker gene loci d. Crossing the two parental strains to generate the F one generation e. Mate F1 one individuals to produce F2 and then examine both the behavior and the marker loci genotypes of these F2 individuals
c. Selection of parental strains that are heterozygous at the marker gene loci
Which of the following statements about Type II males in plainfin midshipmen fish is FALSE? a. Type II males do not build nests b. Type II males are referred to as sneakers because they shed sperm in attempt to fertilize the eggs of nesting females c. Type II males are larger than type I nesting males d. The gonad to body ratio of Type II males is nine times greater than that of Type I males Type II males do not produce hums to court females
c. Type II males are larger than type I nesting males
Which of the following questions addressed ultimate causation? a. How does an animal escape prediction? b. What neurobiological mechanisms are involved in predator escape behavior? c. Why do some animals secrete noxious compounds when threatened by predator? d. What is the anatomical basis for rapid escape behavior? e. What types of neuroendocrine changes occur after successful escape from a predator?
c. Why do some animals secrete noxious compounds when threatened by predator?
Which of the following is NOT associated with spatial learning and foraging in honeybees? a. Honeybees do not fly directly to the food source win first leaving the hive. b. Orientation flights begin at three weeks of age and no sooner c. Younger bees remain at the nest while older bees conduct foraging flights d. Mushroom bodies of foragers are smaller than mushroom bodies of non-foragers e. Changes in mushroom body size represents one approximate mechanism for special learning in honeybees
d. Mushroom bodies of foragers are smaller than mushroom bodies of non-foragers
Contemporary ecological experimentation was initiated by which of the following Nobel prize winners? a. John Maynard Smith b. R.A Fisher c. James Watson d. Niko Tinbergen e. W.D Hamilton
d. Niko Tinbergen
Which of the following best describes the empirical approach to ethology? a. Always assume that correlations between two events indicate that one event calls the second event to occur. b. Design controlled experiments in the field or laboratory. c. Avoid manipulating ethological or environmental variables in order to conduct a properly controlled study. d. Observe animal behavior in a natural setting to uncover interesting trends and use controls or manipulations to determine causality. e. Utilize only observational method is to test theories and concepts related to animal behavior.
d. Observe animal behavior in a natural setting to uncover interesting trends and use controls or manipulations to determine causality.
