Behavior

Definition

Behavior encompasses the actions or reactions of an organism in response to external or internal stimuli. It can be influenced by genetic, environmental, and social factors.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Behavior can be categorized into proximate causes (immediate mechanisms) and ultimate causes (evolutionary reasons).
2. Proximate causes of behavior include hormonal influences, neural mechanisms, and genetic predispositions.
3. Ultimate causes of behavior relate to survival and reproductive advantages that certain behaviors provide.
4. Ethology is the study of animal behavior in natural environments, focusing on both proximate and ultimate causes.
5. Fixed action patterns are innate behaviors triggered by specific stimuli and are consistent across individuals of a species.

Review Questions

• What distinguishes proximate causes from ultimate causes in behavioral biology?
• How do hormones influence animal behavior?
• What role do fixed action patterns play in understanding innate behaviors?

Related terms

Ethology: The scientific study of animal behavior, typically in natural conditions.

Innate Behavior: Behaviors that are developmentally fixed and not learned.

Stimulus: Any event or situation that evokes a response from an organism.