Animal behaviour and learning

What is learning?

• A change in an organism’s behavior or thought as a result of experience

• The process of responding less strongly over time to repeated stimuli

• A change in a behavioral system due to only one environmental stimuli

• A process of change in an organism’s behavior which they acquire through defence mechanisms

The process of responding less strongly over time to repeated stimuli is...

Which of the following are examples of habituation?

• poking an animal, observing a less and less intense response after repeating the stimuli several times

• an individual getting used to intensity of light

• when a habit or an experience becomes more and more disruptive

• while sleeping next to a snoring person for the first time may cause inconveniences, over time you won't even notice snoring any more

What is sensitization?

• Opposite of habituation

• For example realising that there is a time limit on the questions (you won't be able to not think of this from now on)

• A decrease in responsiveness with repeated exposure to a particular eliciting stimulus

• The process of responding more strongly over time to repeated stimuli

• An increase in responsiveness with repeated exposure to a particular eliciting stimulus

During studying in a library you notice somebody whispering or chatting on the phone. It becomes disturbing and you simply tend to loose the focus on your study. Which behavioural mechanism is this example related to?

Offsprings following their mothers is a common example of...

• habituation

• learning connection

• imprinting

• sensitization

When does imprinting occur?

• Post birth

• During gestation

• always within 36 hours after birth

• Shortly after a young animal hatches

What kind of behaviours does imprinting involve?

• habituation

• learning from experience, what object to follow

• observation of other species

• instinct to follow moving objects

Who described imprinting first?

• Ivan Pavlov

• Konrad Lorenz

• Ms. Harmati

• Sigmund Freud

An interesting case of _____________ being used for good comes from efforts to rehabilitate the endangered whooping crane by raising chicks in captivity. Biologists dress up in full whooping crane costume while caring for the young birds, ensuring that they don't ___________ on humans but rather on the bird dummies that are part of the costume. Eventually, they teach the birds to migrate using an ultralight aircraft, preparing them for release into the wild. (source: Khan Academy)

• sensitization

• habituation

• observation

• imprinting