Psychology 3229A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Williams Syndrome, Neuroscience, Neuroconstructivism

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 3229A/B
• Professor: Scott Mac Dougall- Shackleton

Document Summary

Debate between early ethologists and comparative psychologists (behaviourists) Is a field"s area due more to) its length of width? (hebb) Is a cake due more to the recipe or its ingredients? (bateson) Lehrman"s critique of "instinct" successful, but resulted in popular rejection of genetic contribution to. However, may be result of similar environment, not genetic influence (eg. imprinting) Innate behaviour may be modified by experience. Gull chicks peck at parent"s bill to elicit food regurgitation immediately after hatch (instinctive behaviour) Become more specific in which stimuli will elicit pecking. Robins - if put tuft of red feathers on a branch, male robins attack it. Signed stimulus is something that elicits an instinctive response. At birth, can put anything red in front of them, and they will peck, but as they get older, they discriminate against stimuli more. Shows that even instinctive behaviours are modified by experience (not genetically determined)