Animal Behavior
Behavior:
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

The way an organism reacts to internal
or external changes
Stimulus vs. Response
Note Outline:
Stimulus
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Any signal that
carries
information
Response


A single specific
reaction to a
stimulus
Occurs because of
several systems
working together




Sense systems
Nervous system
Muscles
hormones
Behavioral Ecology


Ethology: the study of animal behavior
Why study animal behavior?
 New
conclusions about animal communication, animal
emotions, and learning
 Animal training
 Understanding the world around us
Innate vs. Learned Behaviors
Note Outline:
Innate: born into the
animal (inherited)
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles


Does not have
to learn this
Includes
reflexes and
instincts
Learned: developed during
an animal’s life

Modified by life
experiences
Innate vs. Learned Behaviors
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles
Types of Animal Behavior
–Individual Animals
1. Instinct
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles


Natural or innate impulse
Inclination of a living organism toward a
particular behavior
2. Habituation
Note Outline:
-Behavior


-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned

-Individual
Animals

-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles
Loss of response to stimulus
Stimulus occurs so often that the animal
learns to ignore it
The “cry wolf” effect
Ex. animal reacting to loud noise
3. Imprinting

Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Learning at a particular age that is
rapid
Ex. a young animal acquires several
of its behavioral characteristics from
its parent
 Konrad
Lorenz
 Migration
3. Imprinting – Operation Migration
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles
4. Classical Conditioning:

Note Outline:
-Behavior

-Stimulus vs.
Response

Animals learn to make a mental connection
between an arbitrary stimulus and reward
Response becomes “conditioned”
Ivan Pavlov’s Dogs
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles
http://vimeo.com/5371237
5. Operant Conditioning
Note Outline:

-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response

-Innate vs.
Learned

-Individual
Animals

-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles
A method of learning that occurs
through rewards & punishments
Trial and error learning
Focus on the consequences
Ex. Skinner
Types of Animal Behavior
–Social Behaviors Between Animals
1. Competition for Resources
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Threatening and submissive acts
2. Dominance Hierarchy
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Social ranking within a group
3. Territoriality
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Territories are used for mating, feeding,
and raising young
4. Altruistic Behavior
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Reduces individual fitness but increases
the fitness of the group
Courtship: a way to attract a mate
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Pheromones: a chemical/ smell
secreted to attract a mate.
Types of Animal Behavior
– Behavioral Cycles
1. Migration

Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles
Moving to a more suitable location
 Orientation:
animal detects compass
directions and travels in a straight path
 Navigation: animal determines relative
position and detects compass directions
2. Hibernation
Note Outline:

-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Store up food and then sleep for the
winter when little food is available
Save energy
3. Estivation
Note Outline:

-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Sleep through the warmest part of the
summer
To save energy
4. Circadian Rhythms
Note Outline:
-Behavior
-Stimulus vs.
Response
-Innate vs.
Learned
-Individual
Animals
-Social
Behaviors
-Behavioral
Cycles

Daily patterns of behavior; sleeping
and eating