Environment: Behaviour

Environment: Behaviour

Animal Behaviours

• Behaviour in organisms refers to responses exhibited in reaction to stimuli from the environment. These behaviours can be either innate (inborn) or learned.
• Behaviour can be explored in terms of its cause, development, function and evolution. These four aspects are together known as Tinbergen’s four questions.
• Behaviours can be simple reactions, such as a reflex, or complex behaviours involving decision making, such as what an animal might eat.
• Innate behaviours are genetically programmed responses that occur naturally and do not require learning. These include reflex actions and instincts.
• Learned behaviours, also known as acquired behaviours, arise from interaction with the environment and from experience.

Types of Learned Behaviours

• Habituation is the simplest form of learning. An organism learns to ignore a frequent but irrelevant stimulus.
• Classical conditioning involves learning to associate two stimuli. For example, dogs can learn to associate the sound of a bell with food being given, and begin to salivate on hearing the bell alone.
• Operant conditioning, also known as trial-and-error learning, involves an organism learning to associate a behaviour with a consequence. This can be either positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement.
• Imprinting is a critical learning process in the early stages of an organism’s life, allowing them to recognise and follow caregivers.
• Animals can also learn through observation, impersonating behaviours exhibited by another organism.

Social Behaviours

• Social structures can be seen in many species, including ants, bees, and humans. Roles within social hierarchies can be defined and learned, and behaviours such as cooperation, aggression, and dominance can be displayed.
• Cooperation can benefit survival, like in hunting prey or defending against predators.
• Communication through noises, body postures or chemical markers is essential for complex social behaviours.
• In some species, behaviours are influenced by seasonal changes, such as hibernation during winter or breeding during spring.

Understanding the types and nature of behaviours can help comprehend survival strategies employed by various species. While revising this topic, remember to correlate behaviour with survival and reproduction, essential components of natural selection.