1. KEY CONCEPT Both genes and environment affect an animal’s behavior.

2. Innate behaviors are triggered by specific internal and external stimuli.
An instinct is a complex inborn behavior.
Instinctive behaviors share several characteristics.
innate, or performed correctly the first time
relatively inflexible

3. Many innate behaviors are triggered by a releaser.
releaser is a simple signal: touch, sight, sound, scent
herring gulls chicks and red dot releaser
environmental factors can affect innate behaviors

4. Many behaviors have both innate and learned components.
Learned behaviors must be taught by others or by watching behaviors of others.
Habituation occurs when an animal learns to ignore a repeated stimulus.
Imprinting is a rapid and irreversible learning process.
critical period
Konrad Lorenz and graylag geese

5. Konrad Lorenz

6. In imitation, animals learn by observing the behaviors of others.
young male songbirds learn songs by listening to adult males
snow monkeys and potato-washing behavior

7. Fixed-Action Behaviors
A behavior that does not stop once it is learned

8. Learning is adaptive.
Animals that can learn can better adapt to new situations.
In associative learning, a specific action is associated with its consequences.
Conditioning is one type of associative learning.

9. There are two types of conditioning.
Classical conditioning: previously neutral stimulus associated with behavior triggered by different stimulus
Ivan Pavlov and salivating dog

10. There are two types of conditioning.
Operant conditioning: behavior increased or decreased by positive or negative reinforcement
B.F. Skinner and “Skinner boxes”
Also called “Trial and Error” learning