Social Interactions

Animal Behaviors

Behavioral Controls

Genetic: Instincts, hormonal controls.

Learned: Imprinting, classical and operant conditioning, habituation, spatial learning, insight learning.

Genetic ControlsReflexes are controlled by genes.

Instinctive behaviors also have a genetic control.

Hormones that guide behavior are coded in the genes.

Hybridization experiments with animals can result in “hybrid” instinctual behaviors.

Instincts

Sign stimuli: Hardwired response to well-defined clues. Results in a fixed-action pattern.

Learned Behaviors

Imprinting: Exposure to stimuli early in development.

Learned Behaviors

Conditioning: Associating an action with a result.

Classical Conditioning

Operant Conditioning (Trial and error)

Learned Behaviors

Habituation: Learning by experience NOT to respond to a stimulus.

Learned Behaviors

Spatial Learning: Acquiring a mental map after observing an environment and learning the local landmarks.

Learned BehaviorsConceptual Learning: Forming an abstract generalization; pattern recognition.

Learned Behaviors

Insight learning: Solving a problem without trial-and-error, usually by thinking a problem through.

Communication Signals

Chemical signals, such as pheromones.

Displays

Threat

Courtship

Tactile

Reproductive Behavior

Sexual selection: choosing a quality mate.

Parenting strategies

Many offspring, little care

Few offspring, much care

Social GroupsBenefits

Defense against predators

Cooperative care of young

Cooperative hunting

Costs

Some do not get to reproduce

Some are more likely to become prey.

Diseases spread faster.