Ontogeny of Behaviour

Development and Learning

Ontogeny of Behaviour

Innate behaviour pattern

Ontogeny of Behaviour

Genome information
encodes

CNS Learning CNS

contains

IRM IRM

FAP Maturation FAP

or or
MAP MAP

IMMATURE MATURE
Learning

Definition:
- all processes that lead to adaptive changes in
individual behaviour as a result of experience under a
particular set of environmental conditions
Learning

Sensitive phases - black guillemot

nest
Learning

Constraints - gulls and kittiwakes

Gulls Kittiwake

-ground nesting -cliff nesting

-young wander -young never wander

-Parents learn to -Parents don’t learn to

recognize their own recognize their own
young young - just nest site
Learning Processes
1. Habituation
Learning Processes
2. Classical (Pavlovian) Conditioning
 Learning Processes
2. Classical (Pavlovian) Conditioning

Probability of
response

UCS + CS trials CS alone

Learning Processes
2. Classical Conditioning
-example from nature - bluejay and monarch butterfly
Learning Processes
3. Instrumental Conditioning
Learning Processes
4. Imitational (Observational) Learning
Facial
Expressions
Learning Processes
5. Insight (Cognitive) Learning

(images from Kohler, 1899)

Learning Processes
6. Imprinting
Learning Processes
6. Imprinting
a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
ii. Sexual imprinting

b. Motoric imprinting

c. Habitat imprinting
Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
ii. Sexual imprinting
6. Imprinting b. Motoric imprinting

c. Habitat imprinting

Stimulus IRM Imprint on

(very rough) object

IRM - for geese - movement and minimum/maximum size

- for mallards - movement and rhythmic calls

For a movie (Quicktime) of a duckling being imprinted on a milk bottle go to:

http://seab.envmed.rochester.edu/jeab/jeab_movies/09/Hoffman-9-177a.mov
Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
ii. Sexual imprinting
6. Imprinting b. Motoric imprinting

c. Habitat imprinting

IRM - characteristics of sexual partner

In males - very rough IRM

In females - much more developed
Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
ii. Sexual imprinting
6. Imprinting b. Motoric imprinting

c. Habitat imprinting
Immelman - imprinting in finches

Society Finch Zebra Finch

Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
ii. Sexual imprinting
6. Imprinting b. Motoric imprinting
Immelman - imprinting in finches
c. Habitat imprinting

Zebra finch raised with society finch

Remove at 33 to 66 days

Isolated until sexually mature (4 months)

Tested males
Tested females

Court society Attack or Don’t respond Respond to

finch females ignore zebra to society finch zebra finch
finch females courtship courtship
Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
ii. Sexual imprinting
6. Imprinting b. Motoric imprinting

c. Habitat imprinting

Major characteristics of object imprinting

1. Innately controlled temporal motor pattern

Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
ii. Sexual imprinting
6. Imprinting b. Motoric imprinting

c. Habitat imprinting

Major characteristics of object imprinting

1. Innately controlled temporal motor pattern

2. Takes place during early sensitive phase

For parental imprinting For sexual imprinting

0 Time - days 30
Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
ii. Sexual imprinting
6. Imprinting b. Motoric imprinting

c. Habitat imprinting

Major characteristics of object imprinting

1. Innately controlled temporal motor pattern

2. Takes place during early sensitive phase
3. Relatively irreversible
Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
ii. Sexual imprinting
6. Imprinting b. Motoric imprinting

c. Habitat imprinting

Major characteristics of object imprinting

1. Innately controlled temporal motor pattern

2. Takes place during early sensitive phase
3. Relatively irreversible
4. Time lag in expression of sexual imprinting period
Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
6. Imprinting ii. Sexual imprinting

b. Motoric imprinting
Motoric imprinting
-formation of a memory template - needs to be perfected c. Habitat imprinting
Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
6. Imprinting ii. Sexual imprinting

b. Motoric imprinting
Motoric imprinting - sensitive phase
c. Habitat imprinting

Song sparrow

White crowned sparrow

Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
6. Imprinting ii. Sexual imprinting

b. Motoric imprinting

Crude template (innate) c. Habitat imprinting

Own species song heard

Template matched to song heard

Template is perfected

Testosterone
Final song is perfected

Song output

Hear own song Compare to template

Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
6. Imprinting ii. Sexual imprinting

b. Motoric imprinting

Crude template (innate) c. Habitat imprinting

Own species song heard

Memorization phase
Template matched to song heard

Template is perfected

Testosterone
Final song is perfected

Song output

Hear own song Compare to template

Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
6. Imprinting ii. Sexual imprinting

b. Motoric imprinting

Crude template (innate) c. Habitat imprinting

Own species song heard

Memorization Phase
Template matched to song heard

Template is perfected

Testosterone
Final song is perfected

Song output

Hear own song Compare to template Motor Phase

Learning Processes a. Object imprinting
i. Parental (filial) imprinting
6. Imprinting ii. Sexual imprinting

Habitat imprinting b. Motoric imprinting

c. Habitat imprinting

Migrating salmon
learn characteristics of
natal stream
Learning Processes
Other systems associated with learning

1) Behavioural/cultural tradition
a. Acquired within a group
b. Transferred between generation by non-genetic means

Japanese macaque washing food Blue titmouse opening milk bottle

Learning Processes
Other systems associated with learning

2) Behavioural/cultural tradition
a. Acquired within a group
b. Transferred between generation by non-genetic means

Tool use