Animal Behavior

Types of Behavior

Behavior: way an organism interacts with other organisms & the environment

2 Main Types Innate Learned

Innate Behavior

Innate Behavior: Behavior you are born with Examples:

Reflexes – automatic response Instinct – complex pattern of innate behavior that

continues until all parts of the behavior have been preformed. (Spider spinning web)

Learned Behavior

Learned Behavior: Develops during lifetime Examples:

Imprinting – animal forms a social attachment (birds) Trial and Error - (Tying your shoes) Conditioning – behavior is modified to respond to a

stimulus (Pavlov’s Dog) Insight – using past experience to solve problems

Interactions

Social Behavior: interactions among the same species Ex: courtship, mating, claiming territories,

protection Societies: group of animals living & working

together

Territorial Behavior

Territorial Behavior: animals defending land from other members of a species. Why do animals defend their territories?

Food and other resources, mates, etc Aggression: forceful behavior used to dominate

or control. Submission: a posture used to make the animal

appear smaller to show surrender.

Communication

Courtship behavior: behaviors animals perform before mating. Is this innate or learned behavior?

Pheromones: form of chemical communication used to influence the behavior of another animal.

Sound Communication: (frogs croaking)Light Communication: (fireflies)