Download Chapter 3 - Studying Animal Behavior

Chapter 3
The Process of Science:
Studying Animal Behavior
Concept 3.1

Biologists study through observations and
experiments

Key Terms
 Animal
Behavior
 Immediate Cause
 Ultimate Cause
Asking Questions
about Animal Behavior

Why do
whales make
“bubble nets”?
Observing Behavior in
Natural Environments

Jane Goodall
observed
chimpanzees in
their natural habitat
Designing Experiments
on Animal Behavior

Niko Tinbergen

Digger Wasp
Immediate and Ultimate
Causes of Behavior

Immediate Cause
 Immediate
interactions with the
environment
 Explains “How?”

Ultimate Cause
 Explanations
based
on evolutionary
characteristics
 Explains “Why?”
Concept 3.2

Experiments show that both genes and
environment affect behavior.

Key Terms
 Innate
behavior
 Fixed action pattern
 Circadian rhythm
Nature vs. Nurture

Behavior is due
to genes
(NATURE) or
environment
(NURTURE)
Innate Behaviors

Behavior performed
correctly by all
individuals of a
species, even if
they have no prior
experience.
 Nest
Building
 Web Weaving
 Suckling
Fixed Action Pattern

Greylag Goose
 Egg

Rolling
Yawning
Rhythms of Behavior

Circadian Rhythm
 Biological

Jet Lag

Migration
clocks
Concept 3.3

Learning is behavior based on experience.

Key Terms
 Learning
 Habituation
 Imprinting
 Conditioning
 Insight
Learning vs. Habituation

Learning
 Change
in animals
behavior resulting from
experience

Habituation
 Animals
learn NOT to
respond to stimulus



Hydra to touch
Humans – ticking
clocks, jewelry, etc
Scarecrows
Benefits to Habituation?

Animals do not waste time or energy on
less important stimuli and instead focus on
food, mates, or real danger
Imprinting

Limited to a specific
time frame
 Critical
learning period

Often results in a
strong bond between
2 organisms

Konrad Lorenz
Conditioning

Learning that a specific stimulus/response
is linked to a reward/punishment
 Classical
Conditioning
 Operant Conditioning
Classical Conditioning

Otherwise
associated with
meaningless
behavior

Pavlov’s Dogs
Operant Conditioning

Trial-and-Error
Learning

Animals learn that
their behavior have
a positive or
negative effect
Insight

Animals are able to respond
to a new situation
WITHOUT previous
experience

Ability to analyze problems
and test solutions


Octopus + Jar
Chimp + Boxes & Banana
Play Behavior

Practice Hypothesis
 Animals
practice
behaviors that are
required for survival

Exercise Hypothesis
 Play
helps keep the
animal’s cardiovascular
and muscular systems
in top condition
Concept 3.4

Social behaviors are important adaptations in
many species.

Key Terms
 Aggressive
behavior
 Dominance heirarchy
 Territory
 Courtship ritual
 Communication
 Cooperation
Competitive Behaviors

Animals sometimes live in social groups
that compete for food, space, and mates
 Aggressive
Behavior
 Dominance Hierarchies
 Territorial Behavior
Aggressive Behavior

Actual physical
struggles

Tests of strength (or
the more determined)

In most cases one
individual stops
threatening and
submits to the other
Dominance Hierarchies

Ranking from the most
aggressive to least
aggressive animal in the
group

Each animal has a
specific location on the
pecking order – that way
they don’t waste energy
fighting and instead have
specific jobs based on
their role in the group
Territorial Behavior

Animals establish specific
territories for themselves and
protect it from other members of
the same species




Fighting
Scents
Sounds
Territories are used for breeding
sites, places to raise young, as
well as access to the best food
sites
Courtship Behavior

Elaborate rituals
before mating to
attract the “best”
mate
Communication

Different animals use a variety of ways to
communicate within their species
 Sounds
 Odors
 Visual
displays
 Touching
Cooperation

Individuals work together in a way that is
most beneficial to the group
 Packs
of Wolves
 Musk Oxen