Ch 53

key/sign stimulus

A cue or signal in the environment that initiates neural events that cause behavior

sexual selection

A form of natural selection in which individuals with certain inherited characteristics are more likely than other individuals to obtain mates

migration

A movement from one country or region to another

Pavlovian conditioning

A type of learning in which a neutral stimulus acquires the ability to evoke a response that was originally evoked by another stimulus (dogs salivating at bell)

sexual dimorphism

Differences in physical characteristics between males and females of the same species

altruism

Self-sacrifice for the benefit of others; in formal terms, the behavior that increases the fitness of the recipient, while reducing the fitness of the altruistic individual.

optimal foraging theory

The basis for analyzing behavior as a compromise of feeding costs versus feeding benefits

ultimate causation

The evolutionary explanation of "why" a behavior (or other aspect of an organism's biology) occurs

filial imprinting

The recognition, response, and attachment of young to a particular adult or object. Usually irreversible. Ducks and geese can imprint on humans (whatever they see first)

Fixed action pattern

a neural circuit involved in the perception of the key stimulus and the triggering of a motor program

cost-benefit analysis

a study that compares the costs and benefits to society of providing a public good

operant conditioning

a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher (positive or negative consquences)

classical conditioning

a type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events

brood parasites

an animal that exploits the parental care of individuals other than its parents

inclusive fitness

an explanation for altruism that focuses on the adaptive benefit of transmitting genes, such as through kin selection, rather than focusing on individual survival

innate behavior

an inherited behavior that does not depend on the environment or experience

critical period

an optimal period shortly after birth when an organism's exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces proper development

habituation

an organism's decreasing response to a stimulus with repeated exposure to it

Explain why behavioral biologists today are more open to considering that animals can think

chimpanzees show evidence of being able to critically think and problem solve (monkey and high bananas), as well as ravens and octopi

Discuss the economic analysis of behavior

estimates the energy benefits and costs of a behavior and assumes that animals gain more from a behavior than they expend

Discuss the types of studies that provided evidence to link genes and behavior

fast rat and slow rat populations, fosB and maternal rats, and voles/mice and pair-bonding behavior

Describe the mechanisms of learning.

habituation (repeated exposure to stimuli leads to a diminished response to it that's neither positive or negative) and association (a behavior is modified or conditioned)

proximate causation

how a behavior occurs

Describe how extra-pair copulations increase fitness of males and females

increases reproductive success in males and females mate with genetically superior individuals (offspring with better genetic quality)

Psychological factors for the basis of innate behaviors

key stimulus affect innate releasing mechanisms, which trigger fixed motor programs

relationship between key stimulus and fixed action pattern

key stimulus causes the fixed action pattern

associative learning

linking two stimuli, or events, that occur together

Explain how social contact can influence growth and development.

little contact = abnormal growth and development

Understand how phylogenies may reveal the evolutionary history of a behavior.

phylogenies can allow reconstruction of the evolutionary history of a trait

Explain the possible advantages of group living.

protection from predators and increased feeding success

Explain the nature of signals used in mate attraction

signals (sounds, chemicals, or movements) are used to attract males or females. they are essential for reproduction in most animals. they are typically distinct to that species

parental investing

the amount of time, energy, and resources each parent put in to raising the offspring

Discuss the role of the critical period in imprinting.

the critical period is when imprinting typically happens, filial imprinting is between parent and offspring

Kin selection

the idea that behaviors that help a genetic relative are favored by natural selection

imprinting

the process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in lifer

Explain how the study of song learning in white-crowned sparrows illustrates the interaction of instinct and learning

the results of the experiment showed the sparrows must hear their specie's song to sing it correctly, indicating both instinct and learning effect song development

Explain parental investment and the prediction it makes about mate choice

the sex that has higher parental investment will be more selective about mate choice

Ethology

the study of instinct and its origins

behavioral ecology

the study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior

Describe how honeybees communicate information about the location of new food sources

the waggle dance

Explain how single genes can influence behavior

they encode molecular products that build and govern the functioning of the brain through which behavior is expressed

List the requirements for behavior to evolve by natural selection

variation must exist, that variation causes differences in fitness, and variation must be genetically based

Define learning preparedness

what an animal can learn is biological influenced - learning is possible only within the boundaries set my evolution