Biology 1201A Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Learning, Observational Learning, Greylag Goose
Document Summary
Animal behavior: genetic basis of behavior: can be inherited through genes (innate-molded by natural selection-increase fitness) or learned. Behavioral ecology is the study of behavior that seeks to explain how specific behaviors increase fitness: kinds of animal behavior. Instinct: innate (inherited) behavior such as care for offspring by female parents. Fixed action patterns (fap): innate behaviors that follow a regular, unvarying pattern; initiated by specific stimulus. Behavior is carried out to completion even if original intent of behavior can no longer be fulfilled. When graylag goose sees an egg outside her nest perform set of action to retrieve the egg into nest; an egg outside is the stimulus. She will also retrieve any object that resembles her egg, and once fap has begun, even if egg slips away or is removed, the same set of movement will be carried out.