2. Studying Animal Behavior
Driving Questions:
What is the cause?
What is the response?
How does the organism benefit?
Why has the behavior evolved?

3. WHAT – Response to Stimuli
Animal Behavior Defined
In general terms - The way an animal acts.
To be more specific - An animal’s response to something in its environment.
Examples: feeding hiding calling migrating

4. WHAT – Response to Stimuli
Triggers for Behavior
Stimuli - Anything in the environment that triggers a response
Examples: sight of food/hunger smell of predator/fear sound of mate/sex drive changes in temperature/stress

5. WHAT – Stimulus and Response
Behavior
Perception of Environment
Internal Impulse
Input from the Environment
light
chemical
sound
motion
heat
Input from within Organism
chemical
neurotransmiters
hormones
cytokines
heat

6. HOW– Benefit to the Organism
Budgeting Energy - Costs and Benefits
Growth & Maintenance
Defense
Reproduction
Energy Spent
Energy Gained

7. WHY– Behaviors Exist Natural Selection & Sexual Selection Variation
Reproduction

8. Adaptations (Evolution)
WHY– Behaviors Exist
Genetics
Number of surviving offspring that reproduce
Reproductive Fitness
Physical characteristics
Behaviors
Adaptations (Evolution)
Predisposition
Cognition
Learning