Konrad Lorenz Niko Tinbergen Karl von Frisch Nobel Laureates, 1973

Instinctive Motor Behavior Infant primates hold onto their mothers' hair so as not fall off when she moves briskly.

A cardinal feeds minnows, which rose to the surface looking for food A cardinal feeds minnows, which rose to the surface looking for food. During several weeks the bird fed them, probably because his nest had been destroyed.

Etymology Of ‘Instinct’ The term instinct derives from Indo European, Greek, and Latin roots meaning “stick” “to goad,” e.g., Latin stiguere -- to goad, excite, or incite; instiguere -- to incite, to instigate. Greek: stigma -- a pricked mark, a brand.

Examples Of Instinctive Behavior Loggerhead turtles (found off east coast of Florida) Females deposit about 50-100 eggs in small holes they dig on sandy beach. Eggs hatch in approximately 50 days. After 3-5 days in the nest infant turtles crawl out, head for sea and swim out. Conclusion: Loggerhead turtle has an instinct to go to sea. Imprinting: Young goslings follow their mother (or Lorenz; whichever comes first) wherever she moves. Conclusion: Young goslings follow their mother instinctively (imprinting is an instinctive reaction). Crows that live in western part of North America migrate each fall from Alberta Canada to the south. The following spring they head north again. Conclusion: Crows have an instinct to migrate. Pregnant female rats build nests of laboratory shavings. After giving birth to her litter, mother rat looks after her young, suckles them, retrieves them when they stray from nest, etc. Conclusions: This is the result of a maternal instinct.

CRITICAL PERIOD FOR FOLLOWING RESPONSE LORENZ: BASIC CONCEPTS Sign Stimuli (key to a lock) Fixed Action Pattern (Response of whole organism, not a reflex) Innate Releasing Mechanism (leads to consummatory event) Vacuum Activity (IRM released in absence of sign stimulus).

Umwelt:. sensory world of the animal Merkwelt: Umwelt: sensory world of the animal Merkwelt: our perception of the environment (Von Uexkull) Example: A pond is perceived differently by a: tadpole fish paramecia hawk duck fisherman

Baby Herring Gull Begging for Food

CRITICAL FEATURES OF SIGN STIMULI

SIGN STIMULI (Stickleback)

SUPERNORMAL STIMULUS

SUPERNORMAL STIMULUS (Oystercatcher Egg)

SUPERNORMAL STIMULI (?)

FIXED ACTION PATTERN (Greylag Goose)

Fixed Action Pattern (Human)

Courtship Behavior Of 3-spined Stickleback

LORENZ’S HYDRAULIC MODEL OF INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR

Innate Releasing Mechanism