Chap. 16 – Animal Behavior

1. Chap. 16 – Animal Behavior • Objectives: • 1) Know the difference between innate and learned behavior. • 2) Understand the different ways an animal can learn behavior. • 3) Understand the difference types of behavior adaptations. • 4) Know the importance of hibernation. • 5) Define and understand certain vocabulary words.

2. How do you behave in certain situations? • Is your behavior positive or negative? • Do your friends act the same way you do in different situations? • Why? This all comes down to behavior: the way an organism acts toward its environment • IE – How does your dog act when you get home? • Dogs are pack animals… they follow a leader… • Who is the leader? • Anything in the environment that causes a reaction is called a stimulus. • All animals have two types of behavior

3. 1) Innate Behavior: behavior that an organism is born with • IE - A moth will fly toward the light… cockroaches run from it. • Animals with short life spans have more innate behaviors. • Why? • Simple innate behaviors are reflex reactions • IE – sneezing, shivering, yawning, pulling away from a hot surface. You do not think about the reaction – your body acts on its own. • Complex innate behaviors are called instincts.

4. 2) Learned Behavior: behavior that develops from experience or practice in life IE – You have to learn to play piano… Associated with animals with complex brains. Why is learning so important? Ability to learn gives animals a better chance of survival. If they don’t learn survival techniques, what happens?

5. There are four ways learned behavior is developed: • 1) Imprinting: forms an attachment within a specific time right after birth or hatching • IE – Goslings follow first thing after hatching… • 2) Trial and Error: behavior that is modified by experience • IE – Learning to ride a bike…

6. 3) Conditioning: behavior is modified so that a previous response to a stimulus becomes associated with a different stimulus • IE – Scientist… Ivan Pavlov… studied conditioning… when dogs smell food they start to produce saliva… he would ring a bell every time he fed the dogs… the dogs connected the sound to the food… after a while, Pavlov could ring the bell without food, and the dogs would produce saliva automatically… • Stimulus? • Response? • 4) Insight: use of past experiences to solve new problems • IE – Math… use previous knowledge to solve new problems • IE – little kids trying to get on a table… use chair to get high enough… • Much of adult human learning is based on insight

7. Five Behavioral Adaptations: Some behaviors have to be adapted to ensure the survival of their species. • Territorial Behavior • -Territory: an area an animal defends from other members of the same species. • -Mark their territory with sounds, smell, or by patrolling their area Why are territories important? Need for food, shelter and potential mates -Defending a territory is an instinctive behavior that improves the chance of survival How do they defend their territory? When a dog is eating and another dog approaches… reaction? Hair stands up, growls and shows teeth Why? -Aggressionis a forceful act used to dominate or control another animal IE - Birds… wings lower, feathers puff up, pecking motion Animals seldom fight to the death… Why? Fighting wastes energy… can hurt survival.

8. 2) Courtship Behavior: allows male and female members of a species to recognize each other and to attract another for mating at the same time • Courtship: behavior an animal performs before mating • usually… males perform courtship display • ensures survival of species! • 3) Social Behavior: interactions among organisms of the same species • IE – courtship, caring for young, claiming territories, protection, and/ or getting food • Society: group of animals of the same species living and working together in an organized way • one female lays eggs, workers do all work • IE – ants, bees, termites… • Some societies controlled by dominance • IE – wolves… dominant female… total control…

9. In social behavior, there has to be: • 4) Communication: exchange of information • How do animals exchange information? • a) Chemical Communication • Use of pheromones: chemical produces by the animal that influences the behavior of another animal of the same species • mark territory, warn of danger, attract mates… • stays in environment to send message • IE – ants – lay down a chemical trail… • dogs – urinate to mark territory b) Sound Communication • Many animals use sound to send a message • IE – male crickets attract females… and warn other males • male mosquitoes sense sound from females • rabbits thump ground • gorillas thump chest • prairie dogs bark • birds sing

10. 5) Cyclic Behavior: innate behaviors that occur in a repeating pattern • repeat in response to environmental changes a) Hibernation: cyclic response to cold temperatures and limited food supplies • body temperature drops • breathing rate is reduced • survive on stored fat • IE- Mammals, amphibians, reptiles… b) Migration: instinctive seasonal movement of animals • instead of hibernating • find food • reproduce in a better environment • IE – Birds… Arctic Tern travels 17700 km one way! • IE – Gray whale swim south… bear young… then return… • Why are innate and learned behaviors so important to animals? • Helps animals survive, reproduce and maintain their species.