27.2 Instinct and Learning
KEY CONCEPT
Both genes and environment affect an animal’s
behavior.
27.2 Instinct and Learning
Innate behaviors are triggered by specific internal and
external stimuli.
• An instinct is a complex inborn behavior.
• Instinctive behaviors share
several characteristics.
– innate, or performed
correctly the first time
– relatively inflexible
27.2 Instinct and Learning
• Many innate behaviors are triggered by a releaser.
– releaser is a simple signal:
touch, sight, sound, scent
– herring gulls chicks and red
dot releaser
– environmental factors can
affect innate behaviors
27.2 Instinct and Learning
Many behaviors have both innate and learned
components.
• Learning takes many forms.
• Habituation occurs
when an animal
learns to ignore a
repeated stimulus.
• Imprinting is a rapid
and irreversible
learning process.
– critical period
– Konrad Lorenz
and graylag
geese
27.2 Instinct and Learning
• In imitation, animals learn by observing the behaviors of
others.
– young male songbirds
learn songs by listening
to adult males
– snow monkeys and
potato-washing
behavior
27.2 Instinct and Learning
Learning is adaptive.
• Animals that can learn can better adapt to new situations.
• In associative learning, a specific action is associated with
its consequences.
• Conditioning is one type of associative learning.
27.2 Instinct and Learning
• There are two types of conditioning.
– Classical conditioning: previously neutral stimulus
associated with behavior triggered by different stimulus
– Ivan Pavlov and salivating dog
27.2 Instinct and Learning
• There are two types of conditioning.
– Operant conditioning: behavior increased or decreased
by positive or negative reinforcement
– B.F. Skinner and “Skinner boxes”