PNB 2XC3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Cultural Learning, Ethology, Inclusive Fitness

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
• Course: PNB 2XC3
• Professor: Reuven Dukas

Document Summary

Is an integrative field that involves many other professionals in other fields such as biologists, psychologists, mathematicians, economists. Ethologists posed 4 types of questions: mechanism, development, survival value, evolutionary history (or phylogeny) Two kinds of analysis: proximate analysis: immediate causes (first 2 types above, ultimate analysis: evolutionary forces that shape a trait over time (last 2) Many definitions with pluses and minuses (cid:862)(cid:271)eha(cid:448)iour is the (cid:272)oordi(cid:374)ated respo(cid:374)ses of (cid:449)hole li(cid:448)i(cid:374)g orga(cid:374)is(cid:373)s to i(cid:374)ter(cid:374)al or e(cid:454)ter(cid:374)al sti(cid:373)uli(cid:863: appropriate because, 1. Captures ideas of modern ethologists and behavioural ecologists: 2. Natural selection: reproductive advantage over its population would be favored by natural selection, traits that confer highest relative reproductive success on their bearers and that are heritable. Individual learning: alter frequency of behaviours displayed within the lifetime of an organism. Cultural transmission: affects type of behaviour animals exhibit and the frequency with which the behaviours occur, copying behaviours of others = social learning. Behavioural & morphological, anatomical and developmental traits.