LECTRURE [3]
Types of animal behavior according to their origin
A) Innate behavior
In the realm of animal behavior, innate behavior refers to unlearned, complex actions that
are hardwired into an animal's genes. These behaviors are instinctual, meaning they
manifest spontaneously with minimal or no experience required.
1. Patterns of animal innate behavior
Innate behaviors can exhibit various patterns, and it's helpful to think about them through
different lenses:
1.1. Complexity:
Simple reflexes: These are automatic, stereotyped responses to specific stimuli,
like a knee jerk or pupil dilation in response to light.
Fixed action patterns (FAPs): These are more complex, multi-step behaviors
triggered by specific "releaser" stimuli and executed in a set sequence, like a male
stickleback fish's zig-zag dance during courtship.
Kinesis: These are undirected movements influenced by environmental stimuli,
like maggots moving towards light.
Taxis: These are directed movements towards or away from stimuli, like moths
flying towards light.
1.2. Flexibility:
Stereotypical: Innate behaviors typically follow a consistent pattern within a
species, with little variation between individuals. For example, web-spinning
behavior in spiders is remarkably similar across different spider species.
Modifiable: Other innate behaviors can be modulated by experience or
environmental factors, like chicks adjusting their begging calls based on parental
response
1.3. Social context:
Solitary: Some innate behaviors are performed alone, like a spider building a web.
Social: Other innate behaviors involve interactions with conspecifics, like
courtship rituals or cooperative hunting.
1.4. Developmental context:
Present at birth: Some innate behaviors are displayed immediately after birth, like
newborn animals finding their mother's teat.
Emergent: Other innate behaviors emerge later in development, like birdsong
needing practice for full vocalization.
1.5. Adaptive:
Innate behaviors have evolved to be beneficial for the animal's survival and
reproduction. For example, the fleeing instinct in prey animals helps them escape
predators and increase their chances of survival.
2. Examples for animal innate behavior
Migration: Many birds have an innate drive to migrate based on seasonal
changes, despite never having experienced it themselves.
Hibernation: Some animals have an innate timing mechanism that triggers
hibernation in response to environmental cues.
Imprinting: Newborn ducklings imprint on the first moving object they see, usually
their mother.
Territorial defense: Many animals instinctively defend their territory against
intruders.
Suckling: Newborn mammals instinctively know how to suckle milk from their
mothers.
Nest building: Birds like robins instinctively build intricate nests using twigs,
leaves, and other materials.
Prey capture: Predators like lions exhibit innate behaviors like stalking and
pouncing to capture their prey.
B) Animal learned behavior
1. Patterns of animal learned behavior
Animal learned behavior, unlike innate behavior, isn't fixed and can exhibit fascinating
patterns due to its dependence on various factors like individual experiences, learning
methods, and even social influences. Here are some key ways to understand these
patterns:
1.1. Habituation:
Decreased response: Animals tend to ignore repetitive, harmless stimuli,
focusing on novelty instead.
Specificity: This decrease is specific to the habituated stimulus, not others.
Recovery: If the stimulus reappears after a long absence, the response might
temporarily recover.
1.2. Sensitization:
Increased response: Repeated exposure to a previously weak stimulus can make
animals more responsive to it.
Context-dependent: Sensitization often occurs due to negative experiences
associated with the stimulus.
Generalization: The increased response may affect similar stimuli, leading to
broader caution.
1.3. Classical Conditioning:
Associative learning: Animals learn to associate a neutral stimulus with a reward
or punishment previously encountered with another stimulus.
Predictive behavior: They anticipate the reward/punishment and behave
accordingly based on the associated stimulus.
Extinction: With no reward/punishment, the learned association weakens, and the
behavior decreases.
1.4. Operant Conditioning:
Trial and error: Animals learn the consequences of their actions and repeat
behaviors leading to reward while avoiding those leading to punishment.
Shaping: Trainers gradually reinforce desired behaviors, breaking down complex
tasks into smaller, achievable steps.
Schedules of reinforcement: Varying the timing and frequency of rewards can
impact the strength and persistence of learned behavior.
1.5. Observational Learning:
Social transmission: Animals learn by observing others, adopting successful
behaviors and avoiding unsuccessful ones.
Mimicry: Direct copying of another's behavior, often seen in young animals
learning from adults.
Emulation: Learning the underlying goal of a behavior and adapting it to their own
context.
1.5. Social Learning:
Cultural transmission: Behaviors learned from others become established traditions
within a group, passed down through generations.
Conformity: Animals may adopt certain behaviors simply because others are doing
them, even if they don't initially understand the benefit.
Social hierarchies: Dominant individuals' behaviors may be copied by others,
influencing group dynamics.
Remember, these patterns interact and influence each other. For example, an animal
might habituate to a harmless sound but become sensitized to another if it predicts
danger. Understanding these patterns allows us to appreciate the remarkable adaptive
skills animals possess and how they navigate their complex environments.
