Innate vs. Learned Behaviors . com/biology/animalbeh avior/learning/problem s_1.html.

Innate vs. Learned BehaviorsInnate vs. Learned Behaviors

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What is Behavior?What is Behavior?

An An activity activity or or action that helps an organism survive action that helps an organism survive in its environment.in its environment.

Behavior Behavior can be thought of as the way an animal can be thought of as the way an animal acts.acts.

Blinking, eating, running, walking, flying, sleeping -Blinking, eating, running, walking, flying, sleeping -are all examples of animal behavior.are all examples of animal behavior.

Animals behave in certain ways Animals behave in certain ways for for four four basic reasonsbasic reasons

to find to find foodfood to to interact interact in social groupsin social groups to avoid to avoid predatorspredators to to reproducereproduce

StimulusStimulus

A behavior comes in response to a A behavior comes in response to a stimulusstimulus..

A A stimulus stimulus is any change in the is any change in the environment that affects the activity of an environment that affects the activity of an organism or what causes an animal to act in organism or what causes an animal to act in a certain way.a certain way.

Examples of StimuliExamples of Stimuli

Stimuli Stimuli may include:may include:• the sight of foodthe sight of food• the sound of a potential predator the sound of a potential predator • the smell of a matethe smell of a mate• daily events such as nightfall daily events such as nightfall • seasonal events seasonal events such as decreasing such as decreasing

temperatures.temperatures.

Releasing StimulusReleasing Stimulus

Triggers the Organisms Triggers the Organisms Nervous System to Nervous System to do a behaviordo a behavior

Innate BehaviorsInnate Behaviors

Innate behaviors are not learned, Innate behaviors are not learned, you are born you are born with them.with them.

Fully functional Fully functional the first time they are performedthe first time they are performed

No experience needed to acquire behaviorNo experience needed to acquire behavior

Inherited: Inherited: Genes determine behaviorGenes determine behavior

Examples ofExamples ofInnate BehaviorsInnate Behaviors

1. Fish Ability to swim

2. Chickens Pecking

3. Lovebirds Nest Building

4. Mammals Suckling to get milk

Egg RejectionEgg Rejection

Brood Parasites:Brood Parasites: birds which never build birds which never build

their own nests their own nests and instead and instead lays their eggs in the nest lays their eggs in the nest of another speciesof another species

leave those parents to leave those parents to care for its young. care for its young.

http://www.youtube.com/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMkpdsud-F4watch?v=JMkpdsud-F4

Egg Rejection by Cukoos is an innate behavior.

MigrationMigration

Migration Migration is an innate behavior.is an innate behavior. Migration is the Migration is the seasonal movement of seasonal movement of

animals from one place to another.animals from one place to another. This behavior allows the animals to take This behavior allows the animals to take

advantage of resources advantage of resources like food or water like food or water when they run low in another location.when they run low in another location.

HibernationHibernation Hibernation Hibernation is an innate behavior.is an innate behavior. Hibernation is a Hibernation is a resting state that helps resting state that helps

animals survive the winter.animals survive the winter. During hibernation a warm-blooded animal During hibernation a warm-blooded animal

like a ground squirrel slows down its heart like a ground squirrel slows down its heart rate and breathing rate.rate and breathing rate.

Fixed Action PatternFixed Action Pattern

An An innate pattern of behaviorinnate pattern of behavior Immerged at birthImmerged at birth In tacked first time its doneIn tacked first time its done Performance and Performance and maturation can shape it / maturation can shape it /

improve it furtherimprove it further Always runs to completionAlways runs to completion

Examples of FAP’sExamples of FAP’s

1.1. A squirrel opening a nutA squirrel opening a nut

2.2. Rhesus Monkeys and Rhesus Monkeys and Subordinate GesturesSubordinate Gestures

Example of Human FAP’sExample of Human FAP’s

1.1. Smile, Frown, etc.Smile, Frown, etc.

2.2. YawningYawning

3.3. Eye blinkingEye blinking

Learned BehaviorsLearned Behaviors

Behaviors animals are NOT born withBehaviors animals are NOT born with

Acquired / Modified by experienceAcquired / Modified by experience

Behaviors are learned from observations Behaviors are learned from observations and experienceand experience

Often learned from parentsOften learned from parents

Types of Learned BehaviorTypes of Learned Behavior

Non-Associative LearningNon-Associative Learning HabituationHabituation SensitizationSensitization

Associative LearningAssociative Learning Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning Operant Conditioning (Trial and Error)Operant Conditioning (Trial and Error)

Latent LearningLatent Learning ImprintingImprinting Insight (Reasoning)Insight (Reasoning)

Non-Associative LeaningNon-Associative Leaning

Organisms change their Organisms change their response to a response to a stimuli without association with a positive or stimuli without association with a positive or negative reinforcement.negative reinforcement.

2 Types:2 Types:

1. Habituation1. Habituation

2. Sensitization2. Sensitization

HabituationHabituation A decrease A decrease in response to a stimulus after in response to a stimulus after

repeat exposurerepeat exposure

Less Less sensitive to stimulisensitive to stimuli

Eliminates Eliminates responses that have no value on responses that have no value on an animals survival or welfare.an animals survival or welfare.

Helps Helps prevent waste of energyprevent waste of energy

Example of HabituationExample of Habituation

Prairie dogs and humansPrairie dogs and humans A bird and a stuffed catA bird and a stuffed cat Snail and tappingSnail and tapping

SensitizationSensitization

The increase that occurs in an organism’s The increase that occurs in an organism’s responsiveness to stimuli following an especially responsiveness to stimuli following an especially intense or irritating stimulus. intense or irritating stimulus.

More sensitive to stimuliMore sensitive to stimuli

Depending on the intensity and duration of the Depending on the intensity and duration of the original stimulus, original stimulus, the period of increased the period of increased responsiveness can last from several seconds to responsiveness can last from several seconds to several days.several days.

Example of SensitizationExample of Sensitization

Sea snail that receives a strong electric Sea snail that receives a strong electric shock shock

Will afterward withdraw Will afterward withdraw its gill more strongly its gill more strongly than usual in response to a simple touch.than usual in response to a simple touch.

Associative LearningAssociative Learning

Organisms change Organisms change their response to a stimuli with their response to a stimuli with association of a positive or negative association of a positive or negative reinforcement.reinforcement.

2 Types:2 Types:

1. Classical Conditioning1. Classical Conditioning

2. 2. Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning

Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning

Experiment by Experiment by Ivan PavlovIvan Pavlov Pavlov began to observe salivation in dogsPavlov began to observe salivation in dogs

1. He would enter the room and place 1. He would enter the room and place meat powder or a food morsel on meat powder or a food morsel on tongue and wait for salivation to occurtongue and wait for salivation to occur2. He began to see that the dogs were 2. He began to see that the dogs were salivating as soon as he entered the room, salivating as soon as he entered the room, which was before any food was which was before any food was

even in even in sight. sight. 3. The dogs became conditioned by Pavlov to have 3. The dogs became conditioned by Pavlov to have expectations. When he entered the room, expectations. When he entered the room,

the dogs the dogs expected food; therefore, they expected food; therefore, they began salivating in began salivating in expectation expectation

Neutral StimulusNeutral Stimulus A neutral stimulus is something that normally would not A neutral stimulus is something that normally would not

produce any salivation produce any salivation Pavlov chose to ring a bell since ringing a bell would not Pavlov chose to ring a bell since ringing a bell would not

normally produce salivation in the dogs. normally produce salivation in the dogs. Pavlov began ringing a bell Pavlov began ringing a bell before placing the meat powder before placing the meat powder

or item on the dog's tongueor item on the dog's tongue Each and every time that the bell was rung, meat powder Each and every time that the bell was rung, meat powder

or food was given to the dog. or food was given to the dog. Pavlov repeated these experiments many, many times. Pavlov repeated these experiments many, many times. Eventually, Eventually, the bell alone was enough to make the dogs the bell alone was enough to make the dogs

salivate.salivate. This proved that a neutral stimulus that elicited no This proved that a neutral stimulus that elicited no

response whatsoever from the dogs before was now response whatsoever from the dogs before was now causing a response- salivation. causing a response- salivation.

The dog The dog had learned to associate the sound of the bell with food.had learned to associate the sound of the bell with food.

Classical Conditioning in Classical Conditioning in SummarySummary

Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Stimulus

Stimulus that leads to a response with NO Stimulus that leads to a response with NO trainingtraining

Ex. FoodEx. Food

Conditioned StimulusConditioned Stimulus

A former neutral A former neutral stimulus that comes to elicit stimulus that comes to elicit a given response after pairing with an a given response after pairing with an unconditioned stimulus.unconditioned stimulus.

Ex. BellEx. Bell

Unconditioned ResponseUnconditioned Response

Automatic Response to an unconditioned Automatic Response to an unconditioned stimulus.stimulus.

Ex. SalivateEx. Salivate

Conditioned ResponseConditioned Response

A learned response to a conditioned A learned response to a conditioned stimulus.stimulus.

Ex. SalivateEx. Salivate

What did this prove?What did this prove?

Pavlov's experiment proved that Pavlov's experiment proved that all animals all animals could be trained or conditioned to expect a could be trained or conditioned to expect a consequence on the results of previous consequence on the results of previous experience. experience.

Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning

an unassociated behavior becomes an unassociated behavior becomes associated with a rewardassociated with a reward

B.F. Skinner designed an apparatus called a B.F. Skinner designed an apparatus called a "Skinner box" to "Skinner box" to test the interaction between test the interaction between UCS and CSUCS and CS

Skinner BoxSkinner Box

A rat was placed inside the Skinner box A rat was placed inside the Skinner box If the rat pressed down a lever inside the box then If the rat pressed down a lever inside the box then

the box would release a food pellet the box would release a food pellet Soon, the rat pressed the lever far more often than Soon, the rat pressed the lever far more often than

he would just by chance. he would just by chance. But with each instance of lever pressing, the But with each instance of lever pressing, the

operant is reinforced by reward with food. operant is reinforced by reward with food. The rat learns that The rat learns that pressing the lever is associated pressing the lever is associated

with food, and so he will increasingly press it.with food, and so he will increasingly press it.

Training Rats in a Skinner BoxTraining Rats in a Skinner Box

Classical vs. OperantClassical vs. Operant

In classical conditioning, In classical conditioning, the animal receives the animal receives no benefit from associating the CS with the no benefit from associating the CS with the UCS. UCS.

Latent LearningLatent Learning

When an organism When an organism learns something in its learns something in its life, but the knowledge is not immediately life, but the knowledge is not immediately expressed.expressed.

Knowledge remains dormant until certain Knowledge remains dormant until certain circumstances allow or require it to be circumstances allow or require it to be expressedexpressed

Learning WITHOUT REWARDS!Learning WITHOUT REWARDS! No association with a positive or negative No association with a positive or negative

stimulus. stimulus.

Example of Latent LearningExample of Latent Learning

Place a rat in a maze with no food Place a rat in a maze with no food

The rat will simply run around the maze, The rat will simply run around the maze, familiarizing itself with the surroundings. familiarizing itself with the surroundings.

If you then return the rat to the same maze the If you then return the rat to the same maze the next day and add food, the rat will find the food next day and add food, the rat will find the food much more quickly then will a rat placed in the much more quickly then will a rat placed in the maze with food for the first time. maze with food for the first time.

ImprintingImprinting Process Process by which a social attachment to a by which a social attachment to a

particular object is formed during a critical particular object is formed during a critical time period.time period.

Critical Time Period: Critical Time Period: Prior to birth to Prior to birth to somewhere around 30 hr oldsomewhere around 30 hr old Early Early in life when recognition is criticalin life when recognition is critical

IrreversibleIrreversible Work done by Konrad LorenzWork done by Konrad Lorenz

Insight LearningInsight Learning

Type of learning or problem solving that Type of learning or problem solving that happens all-of-a-sudden.happens all-of-a-sudden.

Prior Prior experience is crucial to learningexperience is crucial to learning Investigations are difficult because the Investigations are difficult because the

learning happens quicklylearning happens quickly Identified by Wolfgang KohlerIdentified by Wolfgang Kohler

Example of Insight LearningExample of Insight Learning

Köhler placed a banana outside the cage of a Köhler placed a banana outside the cage of a hungry chimpanzee, Sultan, and gave the animal hungry chimpanzee, Sultan, and gave the animal two sticks, each too short for pulling in the food but two sticks, each too short for pulling in the food but joinable to make a single stick of sufficient length.joinable to make a single stick of sufficient length.

Sultan tried unsuccessfully to use each stickSultan tried unsuccessfully to use each stick Later, after apparently having given up, Sultan Later, after apparently having given up, Sultan

accidentally joined the sticks, observed the result, accidentally joined the sticks, observed the result, and immediately ran with the longer tool to retrieve and immediately ran with the longer tool to retrieve the banana.the banana.