Ch.13.1 What is Behavior
POINT > Define behavior, stimulus and response
POINT > Distinguish between instinctive behavior
and learned behavior
POINT > Describe conditioning
POINT > Describe insight learning
POINT > Define behavior, stimulus and response
Behavior is anything an animal does - all actions are
behavior
A stimulus is a signal that causes
an animal to do something
A stimulus can be external, like
a sound, smell, or vision
A stimulus can be internal, like
hunger, thirst, or pain
POINT > Define behavior, stimulus and response
That was an external, visual stimulus
Your reaction was a response to that stimulus
All behaviors are a response to a stimulus, either
external or internal
Most animal behaviors help the animal to survive
and/or reproduce
CHECK:
What is a behavior?
What is a stimulus?
Give an example of an external stimulus.
Give an example of an internal stimulus.
What is the purpose of most animal behaviors?
POINT > Distinguish between instinctive and learned
behavior
Instinctive behavior is inborn:
It does not have to be learned
To capture prey, toads detect
& follow movement. The
tongue flipping out is an
instinctive behavior
Instinctive behaviors are
necessary for survival of all
animals
POINT > Distinguish between instinctive and learned
behavior
Learned behavior changes
with practice or experience
Learned behavior allows
animals to adapt to change
Learned behavior is
especially important to
animals with longer life
spans
Black bears have learned
to target picnic areas for
food
CHECK:
What is an instinctive behavior?
Give an example:
What is learned behavior?
Give an example:
Why is learned behavior important for animals that
live a long time?
POINT > Distinguish between instinctive and learned
behavior
Imprinting is a type of behavior (Konrad Lorenz)
In imprinting, the baby forms a social attachment to
an object or individual (the first thing it sees)
Many birds imprint within a day or two of hatching
Usually irreversible
POINT > Distinguish between instinctive and learned
behavior
Konrad Lorenz did an experiment. He made sure that
he was the first thing that the baby birds saw…
irreversible!
POINT > Describe conditioning
Conditioning is learning by association. Animals learn
to associate a stimulus with an outcome (good or bad)
Ivan Pavlov noted that dogs salivate at the smell of
food
He rang a bell whenever he gave the dogs food
This made an association
Eventually, just the sound of the
bell made the dogs salivate
This is classical conditioning
CHECK:
What is an imprinting?
What animals use imprinting?
What is conditioning?
Why did Pavlov’s dogs salivate when they heard a
bell?
POINT > Describe insight learning
Insight learning describes an animal using what it
has previously learned to solve a new problem
Most common in primates
CHECK:
What is insight learning?
What group of animals is best at insight learning?
Homework:
Read 436-442 Finish Study Guide
Section Assessment Page 442 #1-3
GRAS 179-181