Question 1

This behavioral ecologist pioneered study of seagull nesting behavior.

Accepted Answer

Niko Timbergen, a behavioral ecologist, pioneered the study of seagull nesting behavior. He observed their behavior on the Dutch coast and discovered that gulls have a complex system of communication that allows them to establish and defend their territories. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1973 for his research.

Question 2

Animals navigate by using two senses.One is called map sense and the other is called compass sense.Map sense is ____________;compass sense is ____________.

Accepted Answer

Map sense involves the learned ability to adjust a bearing depending on the animal's location, while compass sense is an innate ability to move in a particular direction.

Question 3

Animals defend their territory in a behavior called territoriality.In territoriality,an animal defends

Accepted Answer

In territoriality, an animal usually only defends a portion of its home range that it considers to be its territory. This may include a core area where it nests, feeds, and raises young, as well as a broader area that it uses for foraging or other activities. Territorial animals may also mark their boundaries with scent, vocalizations, or physical displays to discourage intruders from entering their territory.

Question 4

A type of learning in which there is a decrease in the response to a repeated stimulus is

Accepted Answer

The definition given - "a decrease in the response to a repeated stimulus" - describes habituation. Operant conditioning involves learning through consequences, imprinting is a process in which an animal learns a behavior during a critical period after hatching or birth, and conditional is not a recognized type of learning.

Question 5

The appearance of an egg outside of a goose's nest is called

Accepted Answer

The appearance of an egg outside of a goose's nest is a sign stimulus, which is a specific external cue that triggers a specific behavior.

Question 6

Vertebrate societies are NOT as rigidly organized and cohesive as invertebrate societies.

Accepted Answer

While some vertebrates, such as many primates, have complex social structures, they are not as rigidly organized and cohesive as invertebrate societies such as ants or bees, which have highly specialized roles and behaviors assigned to each individual. Vertebrate societies often have more flexibility in their social behavior and individuals may have varying degrees of autonomy.

Question 7

A type of selection that favors altruism directed towards relatives is called

Accepted Answer

Kin selection is the type of selection that favors altruism directed towards relatives because it increases the probability that the genes underlying altruistic behavior will be passed on to future generations through shared genetic relatedness. Sexual selection favors traits that increase an individual's ability to compete for and attract mates. Group selection is the idea that natural selection can act on a group level rather than just on individuals. Mate selection is the process by which individuals choose their partners.

Question 8

Young birds see objects flying overhead and respond by crouching down into the nest and remaining still.Over time some objects become familiar and the young birds do not crouch down.This type of learning is referred to as

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes habituation, where the birds become less responsive to a repeated stimulus (objects flying overhead) over time. There is no clear association between a behavior and a consequence (associative learning) or any action being reinforced or punished (operant conditioning). Sensitization would be the opposite, where the birds become more responsive to the stimulus over time.

Question 9

The simplest type of learning is called _____ learning.

Accepted Answer

Nonassociative learning refers to a change in behavior in response to a repeated stimulus without the association of any other stimulus. It is the simplest type of learning and can be either habituation or sensitization. Associated learning, on the other hand, occurs when an organism learns to associate one stimulus with another. Classical and operant conditioning are two forms of associative learning.

Question 10

A goose attempts to retrieve an egg that is removed from the nest.This is an example of

Accepted Answer

This scenario exemplifies a fixed action pattern, as the goose is responding to a specific, innate sequence of behaviors that have been programmed into its nervous system. The presence of the egg outside of the nest triggers this sequence, resulting in the goose's attempt to retrieve it. A sign stimulus refers to a specific sensory cue that triggers a behavioral response, but in this case, the egg itself is the stimulus. Imprinting involves the formation of an early social attachment to a specific object or organism, which is not evident in this scenario. Kin selection refers to the evolutionary process by which behaviors that benefit genetically related individuals are favored, which is also not directly relevant here.

Question 11

During the mating season,male stickleback fish will respond to clay models with red bellies.The red belly

Accepted Answer

The red belly of the clay model serves as a sign stimulus, triggering a fixed action response in the male stickleback fish.

Question 12

Optimal foraging theory predicts

Accepted Answer

Optimal foraging theory predicts that animals will select food items that maximize their net energy intake per unit of foraging time. This means that they will choose foods that provide the most energy for the least amount of effort. This is because foraging takes time and energy, and animals must balance the benefits of obtaining food with the cost of obtaining it, such as the energy expended and the risk of predation.

Question 13

Sexual selection leads to

Accepted Answer

Sexual selection is the process by which certain physical and behavioral traits evolve due to their attractiveness to a potential mate. In many species, males compete with each other for access to females, and this can lead to the evolution of structures that are used in combat, such as antlers in deer or horns in beetles. These traits are often exaggerated and may be costly to the male, but they are favored because they enhance his ability to win fights and secure a mate.

Question 14

Which of the following scientists studied bees and their communications.

Accepted Answer

Von Frisch was the scientist who extensively studied bees and their communication using their unique dance movements to indicate the location of food sources to other bees.

Question 15

If a scientist is conducting an observation on animal behavior,for example,how an animal's nervous system coordinates a behavior,she would be asking about the

Accepted Answer

The innate releasing mechanism (IRM) is a stimulus that triggers a fixed action pattern (FAP), which is a stereotyped behavior. The IRM is a specific stimulus that releases the FAP, and it is usually a simple stimulus, such as a red spot or a particular sound. The FAP is a complex behavior that is performed in a stereotyped manner, and it is usually triggered by an IRM.

Question 16

Behavior can be described in terms of how it is produced,also called the ____________ cause,and also in terms of why it evolved and what the adaptive value of the behavior is,called the ____________ cause.

Accepted Answer

Proximate cause refers to the immediate triggers that lead to a behavior, such as hormonal or neurological processes. Ultimate cause refers to the evolutionary reasons for why a behavior exists and its adaptive value in enabling survival and reproduction. Therefore, the best choice is A - proximate and ultimate causes. Choice B is not correct because cognitive refers to mental processes, not causes of behavior. Choice C is incorrect because it reverses the order of proximate and ultimate causes. Choice D is not correct because conditioned refers to learned associations between stimuli and responses, which is not the same as evolutionary reasons for a behavior.

Question 17

The following question addresses the three mating systems of animals.Select the choice that correctly describes each system.One male mates with one female ___________;one male mates with more than one female _________;one female mates with more than one male __________.

Accepted Answer

Monogamy refers to a mating system where one male mates with one female. Polygyny refers to a system where one male mates with more than one female. Polyandry refers to a system where one female mates with more than one male. The correct sequence is presented in choice B.

Question 18

Having information and responding in a manner that suggests thinking is an example of animal behavior called

Accepted Answer

Cognitive behavior refers to animal behavior that involves mental processes such as perception, problem-solving, and decision-making. Responding in a manner that suggests thinking involves cognitive processes and would be an example of cognitive behavior. Territoriality involves defending a specific area, maternal behavior involves caring for offspring, and reciprocity involves mutually beneficial interactions.

Question 19

Which of the following scientists studied ducklings and their reaction to him after hatching from their eggs?

Accepted Answer

Konrad Lorenz studied the behavior of animals, specifically ducks and geese, and he conducted the famous experiment where he found that after hatching, these birds would follow the first moving object they saw, which happened to be Lorenz in his experiments.

Question 20

The field of behavior that addresses the function of the behavior and how natural selection has shaped the behavior is called

Accepted Answer

Behavioral ecology is the field of study that investigates how natural selection shapes behavior by considering the function of behavior in the context of environmental pressures and constraints. It seeks to explain the adaptive value of behaviors, including those related to foraging, mate choice, communication, and social interactions. Sociobiology and ethology are related fields that also explore the evolutionary basis of behavior, but they may focus more on genetic influences and social learning, respectively. Knockout research, on the other hand, involves manipulating genes in order to study their effects on behavior or physiology.

Quiz 21: Behavior and the Environment