The influence of a behaviour on an organism's chances for survival and reproduction in its natural environment is called the concept of _______________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The concept of adaptive significance refers to the influence of a particular behaviour on an organism's chances for survival and reproduction in its natural environment. It is concerned with how a behaviour contributes to an organism's fitness (i.e. its ability to pass on its genes to the next generation). While operant conditioning and heritability may play a role in shaping behaviour, they do not specifically address the adaptive value of that behaviour in the organism's environment.

The Influence of a Behaviour on an Organism's Chances for Survival