BIO320H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Infrasound, Mechanoreceptor, Detection Theory
Document Summary
Simple definition: information is data more than noise. Abiotic forms of information are where individuals gain from its environment. Socially (biotic) acquired info is form animals. Cues (info not communicated, it"s just there) rather than signals (social, biotic, and intention: signals is sent to influence the behaviour of other individuals, they have intended receivers (ex. Female in the bush looking at a fight will choose the animal that wins) We have sensory information to reduce uncertainty and improve decision making process. Personal info is acquired through direct interaction with environment: can be deliberately" (evolved signals) or unintentionally. Social acquired info is conveyed by others and reduce signal to non- intended receivers. Information is obtained from observing the behaviour of others: if unintentionally produced it can be further differentiated according to whether it provides discrete information ( social cues ex. Presence/absence of predators) or graded information (public info ex. Amount of food available in a patch: have to actively acquire: echolocation.
