Download Behavior lecture

Animal Behavior
Is behavior controlled
by genes or is it learned?
“Nature versus Nurture”
How can we tell how much behavior
STUDY TWINS!
is controlled by genes?
Nurture
Instincts control some behavior but most is learned
WHAT is learning?
Learning = permanent change in behavior brought by experience
Types of learning:
Imprinting -
only during sensitive
period ( period during which behavior can develop)
Imitative learning:
offspring imitates parent
Pavlov’s dog
This is Classical Conditioning -- stimulus-response
builds on instinctive response to stimulus
versus Operant
Conditioning --
stimulus --> response --> reinforcement
for selected response (reward, punishment)
EXAMPLES?
BEST= intermittent positive reinforcement!
Insight: applying learned behavior to new situation
Behavior Adapts:
What is the goal of any adaptation?
reproductive success!!
Social behavior (cooperation of individuals for common goal)
appears only if there is an evolutionary advantage to it.
ADVANTAGES?
DISADVANTAGES?
Sociobiology: evolutionary biology applied to behavior.
Social Behavior Examples:
Sex Selection:
Females choose (few eggs), males compete (many sperm)
Why is death is usually NOT the result of competition?
Dominance hierarchy: ‘ Pecking Order’
who gets to eat first in wolf kill, who gets to mate
Benefits:more food, more mates
Costs: needs more food,
more likely for injury
Territoriality:
lion’s pride
WHY do animals have territories?
Communication:
Chemical (pheromones)
a common feature of all animal societies
Auditory (sound)
Crickets
Birds
Whales
Humans
Visual
Tactile (touch)
Herd behavior - ‘safety in numbers’
Bear attacks in Alaska:
1900-2002
Why is there altruistic behavior (helping someone else
without any obvious benefit to individual)?
Evolutionary advantage?
Juvenile birds help rear next
generation:
YES! Two ways to succeed reproductively:
a) pass on genes directly to offspring
b) assist relative (with your genes) to pass on their genes
kin selection:
we are more likely to help if it is for close family
(genetic ‘selfishness’ - kin will help propagate our genes)
The Hatfield
family
What type of learning is this?
song birds ‘learn’ correct song
during critical period
Kittens learn to use litter box from mother
We can tell the difference between a fake scream
and a real one.
You work harder to earn extra credit!
Children learn to swear from parents
Classical or Operant Conditioning?
While George was having a cavity filled by his dentist, the
drill hit a nerve that had not been dulled by anesthetic, a couple of
times. Each time he cringed in pain.
George now gets anxious each time he sees the dentist .
A friend of mine ate pecan pie one Thanksgiving when she had the flu.
She later threw it up. Now, she gets nauseated at the sight of pecan pie.