Ethology
the study of animal behavior in natural conditions.
Fixed action pattern (FAP)
a sequence of behavioral acts that is especially unchangeable and usually carried to completion once initiated. pg.

1124

Sign stimulus
a FAP that is triggered by an external sensory stimulus. pg. 1124
Behavior ecology
the research field that views behavior as an evolutionary adaptation to the ecological conditions of animals. pg 1126
Foraging
food obtaining behaviors including not only eating, but the mechanism animal uses to recognize, search for and capture food. pg.

1127

Optimal foraging theory
the basis for analyzing foraging behavior as a compromise of feeding costs verses feeding benefits. pg. 1127
Learning
the modification of behavior (behavioral change) resulting from specific experiences. pg. 1128
Maturation
behavior that changes because of ongoing developmental changes in neuromuscular systems. pg 1129
Habituation
a very simple type of learning that involves loss of responsiveness to stimuli that convey little or no information.

pg. 1129

Imprinting
learning that is limited to a specific time period in an animal's life and is generally irreversible; a learned behavior with a significant innate component, aired during a critical period. pg 1129
Sensitive period
a limited phase in an individual animal's development when learning of particular behaviors can take place. pg. 1130
Associative learning
the ability of animals to associate one stimuli with another.

ex.: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. pg. 1132

Classical conditioning
type of associative learning where the animal learns to associate an arbitrary stimulus with a reward or punishment. pg.

1132

Operant conditioning
type of associative learning where the animal learns to associate one of it's own behaviors with a reward or punishment. pg. 1132
Play
behavior that has no apparent external goal but involves movements closely associated with goal-directed behaviors. pg.

1132

Cognition
the ability of an animal's nervous system to perceive, store, process, and use information gathered by sensory receptors. Consciousness, or awareness. pg. 1133
Cognitive Ethology
the study of animal cognition examines the connection between an animal's nervous system and it's behaviors. pg. 1134
Kinesis
a simple change in activity or turning rate in response to stimuli.

pg. 1134

Taxis
movement toward or away from a stimulus. pg. 1134
Landmark
a point of reference for orientation during navigation. pg.

1134

Cognitive map
an internal representation (within the nervous system) , or code, of the spatial relationship among objects in an animal's surroundings. pg.1134
Migration
regular movement over relatively long distances. pg.1134
Social behavior
ay kind of interaction between two or more animals, usually of the same species.

pg. 1137

Sociobiology
the study of social behavior based on evolutional theory. pg. 1137
Agonistic behavior
a type of behavior involving a contest of some kind that determines which competitor gains access to some resource, such as food or mates. pg.

1138

Ritual
a type of symbolic activity. pg 1138
Reconciliation behavior
post-conflict behavior that renews friendly relations. pg. 1138
Dominance hierarchy
a linier "pecking order" of animals, where positions dictate characteristic social behaviors. pg.

1138

Territory
an area that an individual or individuals defend and from which other members of the same species are usually excluded. pg. 1138
Courtship
behavior patterns that lead up to copulation or gamete release. pg.

1140

Parental investment
the time and resources and individual must spend to produce and nurture offspring. pg.1141
Promiscuous
mating with no strong pair bonds or lasting relationships. pg.

1142

Monogamous
mating were the mates stay together for longer periods of time.; one male with one female. pg. 1142
Polygamous
a type of relationship in which an individual of one sex mates with several of the other. Two types are progeny and polyandry. pg.

1142

Polygamy
a polygamous mating system involving one male and many females. pg.1142
Polyandry
a polygamous mating system involving one female and many males. pg.1142
Signal
a behavior that causes a change in behavior in another animal.

pg.1142

Communication
the transmission of, reception of, and response to signals. pg.1142
Pheromones
a small, volatile chemical signal (odor) that functions in communication between animals and acts much like a hormone in influencing physiology and behavior.

pg.1143

Altruism
behavior that reduces an individual's fitness while increasing the fitness of another individual. pg.1145
Inclusive fitness
the total effect an individual has on proliferating its genes by producing its own offspring and by providing aid that enables other close relatives to increase the production of their offspring. pg.

1146

Coefficient of relatedness
equals the probability that a particular gene present in one individual will also be inherited from a common parent or ancestor in a second individual. pg.1146
Hamilton's rule
the principle that for natural selection to favor an altruistic act, the benefit to the recipient, devalued (multiplied) by the coefficient of relatedness, must exceed cost to altruist. ( rB > C ) pg.1146
Kin selection
a phenomenon of inclusive fitness, used to explain altruistic behavior between related individuals. pg.

1147

Reciprocal altruism
altruistic behavior between unrelated individuals, whereby the current altruistic individual benefits in the future when the current beneficiary reciprocates. pg.1147