The Whys of Behaviour

The Whys of Animal Behaviour
Created for the Animal Behaviour and Welfare MOOC
The Whys Of Behaviour
1. The Whys of Animal Behaviour
1.1 The Whys of Animal Behaviour
Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

1.2 In this Session

1.3 Learning Outcomes

1.4 Why is This Happening?

1.5 The Whys of Behaviour

1.6 Niko Tinbergen

1.7 Behaviours

1.8 The Four Questions

1.9 Cause & Mechanism
On a hot summer's day after a period of exercise, this vulture is drinking. While birds
don't sweat, they do lose water through their droppings and through panting. This
means that most birds need to drink about twice a day. As the volume of water in the
body falls, the concentration of salt in the body increases. This starts a hormone cascade
which makes the brain signal thirst. The stimulus for this behaviour is therefore the
feeling of thirst. This is an internal stimulus, but stimuli can also be external, for example
a loud noise might cause an animal to show a startle behaviour response.

1.10 Development
Animal behaviours change with age. For example, very young or neonatal animals will
show suckling and teat-seeking behaviours that they will stop performing with time. As
animals age they may show less interest in play opportunities, or require a larger
stimulus to evoke the same response. We also train animals, and with time, they learn
what behaviours are requested of them and when. This can be formal, for example
teaching a dog to sit on command, or informal, for example a dog learning that
whenever the leash comes out it knows its going on a walk.

1.11 Function (Adaptation)
Notes:
What is it about a particular behaviour that means it will keep the animal alive. For
example, play behaviour is often thought to teach the animal skills it might need in the
future, or help it test its physical abilities. This knowledge and practice might help it
escape from predators in later life.

1.12 Evolution
In an evolutionary context, where did the behaviour come from? These pilot whales live
in groups called pods. The social behaviours they show help to keep the group strong,
and allows them to hunt together. The ancestors which were more likely to group up
were more likely to survive, resulting in the behaviour being inherited through many
generations. This allowed complex grouping behaviours to evolve.

1.13 What is the cause of this behaviour?
(Multiple Choice, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)
Correct Choice
It gives the mind time to rest and process the day's experiences.
X The brain signals it is tired and REM sleep happens when acetylcholine is secreted.
The ancestral animals which rested often were more likely to survive and so sleep
evolved.
The dog is old and is sleeping more than she used to.
Feedback when correct:
This behaviour is caused by the brain signalling that it is tired.

Sleep likely evolved when animals which rested more frequently were more likely to survive.
Sleeping behaviour develops with time with animals sometimes sleeping more or less with age.
It's thought that the function of sleep is to give the mind time to rest and process.
Feedback when incorrect:
This behaviour is caused by the brain signalling that it is tired.
Sleep likely evolved when animals which rested more frequently were more likely to survive.
Sleeping behaviour develops with time with animals sometimes sleeping more or less with age.
It's thought that the function of sleep is to give the mind time to rest and process.

Correct (Slide Layer)

Incorrect (Slide Layer)
1.14 What is the function of this behaviour?

Correct Choice
X It gives the animals an opportunity to breathe and so survive.
The ancestral animals which could hold their breath for a long time were more
able to exploit the resources in the water.
The CO2 levels in the body prompt the animal to surface.
Younger animals surface more frequently.
The function of surfacing is to bring aquatic mammals to air so they can breathe and so survive.

Aquatic mammals evolved to spend more time underwater so their species could exploit the
resources here.
The stimulus which causes the behaviour is the rise in CO2 in the blood.
And as animals develop their abilities with age, they may be able to dive for longer, or nursing
mothers may surface more frequently.
The function of surfacing is to bring aquatic mammals to air so they can breathe and so survive.
Aquatic mammals evolved to spend more time underwater so their species could exploit the
resources here.
The stimulus which causes the behaviour is the rise in CO2 in the blood.
And as animals develop their abilities with age, they may be able to dive for longer, or nursing
mothers may surface more frequently.


1.15 How did this behaviour develop?

Correct Choice
It gives the animal food so it will survive.
The ancestral animals which stayed near the mother had more access to food.
When the animal feels the teat in its mouth it begins to suck.
X Instinctive sucking actions are first seen in the womb and the mother and scent
guide the animal to the teat.
Suckiing develops in the womb and both the mother and her scent guide the animal to begin
sucking.

The feel of the teat in its mouth is the stimulus which causes the sucking behaviour.
The behaviour of the ancestral animals is how the behaviour evolved.
The fact the animal gains food from sucking is its function.
Sucking develops in the womb and both the mother and her scent guide the animal to begin
sucking.
The feel of the teat in its mouth is the stimulus which causes the sucking behaviour.
The behaviour of the ancestral animals is how the behaviour evolved.
The fact the animal gains food from sucking is its function.


1.16 How did this behaviour evolve?

Correct Choice
X Ancestral animals would occasionally pull out mites and broken feathers, some
animals retained this behaviour and it developed over generations.
The animal feels itchy and so begins to preen.
As the young animals develop their feathers they preen more often.
It keeps the feathers clean and free from mites.
The behaviour evolved as simple cleaning behaviours became more complex over generations
as cleanliness meant animals contracted less disease and were more likely to survive.

The function of the behaviour is to keep the animal clean and its feathers in good condition.
As the animal grows and develops it will develop preferences for the manner in which it cleans
itself.
One possible stimulus which causes this behaviour is the itching of mites in the feathers.
The behaviour evolved as simple cleaning behaviours became more complex over generations
as cleanliness meant animals contracted less disease and were more likely to survive.
The function of the behaviour is to keep the animal clean and its feathers in good condition.
As the animal grows and develops it will develop preferences for the manner in which it cleans
itself.
One possible stimulus which causes this behaviour is the itching of mites in the feathers.



1.17 Key Messages

1.18 About this Learning Object

The Whys of Behaviour

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The Whys of Animal Behaviour

Created for the Animal Behaviour and Welfare MOOC

The Whys Of Behaviour

1. The Whys of Animal Behaviour

1.1 The Whys of Animal Behaviour

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

1.13 What is the cause of this behaviour?

(Multiple Choice, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)

Feedback when correct:

This behaviour is caused by the brain signalling that it is tired.

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Feedback when incorrect:

This behaviour is caused by the brain signalling that it is tired.

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

1.14 What is the function of this behaviour?

(Multiple Choice, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

X It gives the animals an opportunity to breathe and so survive.

The CO2 levels in the body prompt the animal to surface.

Younger animals surface more frequently.

Feedback when correct:

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Feedback when incorrect:

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

1.15 How did this behaviour develop?

(Multiple Choice, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)

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It gives the animal food so it will survive.

Feedback when correct:

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

The behaviour of the ancestral animals is how the behaviour evolved.

Feedback when incorrect:

The behaviour of the ancestral animals is how the behaviour evolved.

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

1.16 How did this behaviour evolve?

(Multiple Choice, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

The animal feels itchy and so begins to preen.

It keeps the feathers clean and free from mites.

Feedback when correct:

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Feedback when incorrect:

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

Published by Articulate® Storyline www.articulate.com

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