lecture social interactions 2010 2011

8/8/2019 Lecture Social Interactions 2010 2011

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Social Interactions


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Animal Behavior

Observable coordinated responses to stimuli

Originates with genes that direct the formation of

tissues and organs of the animal body


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Spider Responds to Prey

Mama spiders dont teach their offspring (instinctive)


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Nervous System

Detects processes and integrates

information about stimuli

Commands muscles and glands to

make suitable responses


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Suitable Response?

How much of human

behavior is innate or

learned?


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StarlingN

est Decoration

Starlings line nest

with wild carrot

Experiments have

shown this

behavior

minimizes mites

Experimental nests Control nests

Figure 46.2

Page 826


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Genes and Behavior

Some variations in behavior have a genetic basis

Arnold showed that garter snakes taste for slugs

has genetic basis

Hybrid snakes showed behavior intermediate

between parental types


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Hormones and Bird Song

Sex hormones produced during

development prime male birds to sing

As adults, males will sing only when

days are long and levels of the

hormone melatonin are low


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Goldfinch's Respond to Longer

Days

Winter (short day)

Summer (long day)


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Instinctive Behavior

Performed without having been

learned

Usually triggered by simple sign

stimuli

Response is a stereotyped motor

program, a fixed-action pattern


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Example of Instinctive Behavior

Knee-jerk


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Learned Behavior

Responses change with experience

Some categories of learned behavior

Imprinting Spatial learning Insight learning

Habituation

Classical conditioning

Operant conditioning


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imprinting

Encyclopdia Britannica Article Page 1 of 1

in psychobiology, a form of learning in which a veryyoung animal fixes its attention on the first objectwith which it has visual, auditory, or tactile experience

and thereafter follows that object. In nature theobject is almost invariably a parent; in experiments,other animals and inanimate objects have been used.Imprinting has been intensively studied only inbirds.


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Imprinting Time-dependent learning

Triggered by exposure to a sign

stimulus during a sensitive period

Young geese imprint on a movingobject and treat it as mother


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Lorenz and Imprinting

Young geese will follow

larger animateobjects to which

they imprint Mom.


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Classical Conditioning First demonstrated by Pavlov

An autonomic response becomes

associated with a novel stimulus

Salivation became associated withsound of bell that accompanied

feeding


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Pavlovs Lab


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Operant Conditioning

A voluntary action becomes

associated with its consequences

A toad may attempt to eat a wasp

with a black and gold pattern and be

stung

Thereafter, the toad will be

conditioned to avoid eating similar

insects


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"A person does not act upon theworld, the world acts upon him." -

B. F. Skinner B.F. Skinner is credited with the

development of the field of operantlearning (conditioning).

Operant conditioning (along withclassical conditioning) is one of thetwo major forms of learning. Itinvolves the use of either rewards orpunishments in order

to increase or decrease

the frequency of a behavior.http://ftp.ccccd.edu/lipscomb/16_week_course/operant_conditioning_lab.htm


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Operant Learning, Human

Infant


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The Skinner Box


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Habituation

An individual learns not to respond to

a stimulus that has neither good nor

bad consequences

Pigeons in cities learn that people are

no threat and do not flee from them


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Habituation in Prairie Dogs

When prairie dog towns are located near trails usedby humans, giving alarm calls every time a personwalks by is a waste of time and energy for the group.Habituation to humans is an important adaptation inthis context.www.animalbehavioronline.com/habituation.html

http://


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Spatial Learning Through experience with an

environment, an organism creates a

mental map

Some blue jays remember the

location of dozens of places wherethey have stored food


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Spatial Learning

SpecialEducation Classes

Spatial and Acoustical


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Insight Learning An animal solves a problem without

trial-and-error attempts at a solution

Captive chimpanzees show insight

learning when they solve a novel

problem, as when they stack boxes to

reach food that is out of reach


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Chimp Learning


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Bird Song: Instinct + Learning Bird comes prewired to listen to

certain acoustical cues; instinctively

pays attention to particular sounds

Which dialect the bird sings depends

on what song it hears; it learns the

details of the song from others

around it


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Lyre Bird

Youtube Video

Lyre Bird - Imitating Sounds -

David Attenborough


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Human Instinct + Learning

Pronouns in pidgins Pidgins arise in certain contact situations as a

conventionalized means of communication between groupsof adult speakers of different vernacular languages(Thomason 1997). Pidgins have a diversity of structural

forms often including some unusual or marked structuresfrom their source languages, as well as recurringuniversal properties, such as the preponderanceof analytic syntax, CV syllable structure, andgeneric lexical semantics (Thomason andKaufmann 1988, Foley 1988, Holm 1989, Bakker1994). In particular, there is a vast prevalence of freepronouns in pidgins. Why should this be?

Pidgin Genesis in Optimality Theory1

Joan Bresnan


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Selection for Behavior

Some variation in behavior has a genetic basis

Some behavior promotes reproductive success (is

adaptive)

Genes that encode adaptive behavior will increase

in population


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How Do Rabbits Avoid

Predators?


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Adaptive Behavior

Behavior that promotes propagation

of an individuals genes

Its frequency will be maintained or

increase in successive generations


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Selfish and Altruistic Behavior

Selfish behavior promotes an

individuals genes at the expense of

others

Altruistic behavior helps others at the

expense of the altruist; may be

adaptive under certain circumstances


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Selfish Ravens

Some ravens that find carcasses call

and alert others

Are their calls altruistic? No

Callers are birds without territories

Calling brings in others to help callerget food in a pairs territory


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Communication Signals

Intraspecific signals will evolve only if they benefit

both signaler and receiver Variety of signal modalities

Pheromones Tactile signals

Visual signals

Acoustical signals


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Pheromones

Chemical signals that diffuse through

air or water

May bring about behavioral change in

receiver or cause physiological

change (priming pheromones)


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Pheromone Baiting


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might be realityBy Kristen M. Neufeld

Collegian Staff Writer

While there is no evidence conclusive

enough to prove the theory, somescientists believe that women who live inclose quarters or who spend a lot of timetogether develop menstrual synchrony,

which means they tend to menstruatearound the same time of the month.

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2002/10/10-08-02tdc/10-08-02dscihealth-03.asp


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Acoustical Signals

Sounds used in communication

Used to attract mates, secure

territory, warn off rivals

May also be used to communicate

danger, keep groups together


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Howler Monkey and Macaw


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Visual Displays

Important in courtship and in

aggression

Baring of teeth by baboon

communicates threat

Play bow in wolves solicits playbehavior

Flashing of fireflies attracts mates


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Visual Displays


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Tactile Display

Signaler and receiver communicateby touch

Honeybee dance language

Figure 46.10

Pa e 833

Food close Food distant


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Signal Variation

Some signals never vary

Others can be varied to convey

information about the signaler

Composite signals combine

information encoded in more thanone cue; more potential for variation

and information


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Blue jays Alert Call


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Ritualized Displays

Common behavior patterns are

exaggerated and simplified

Body parts may be enhanced or

colored in way that enhances the

display

Ritualization is often important in

courtship displays


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Egret Courtship Displayhttp://www.helsaple.com/images/Photos/Nature/Birds/Great%20Egret/Feather_display_1.jpg

Elements

of song and

dance


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Dances, Ritualized Displays

Fire Dance

Rumba

Waltz


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Illegitimate Signals

An illegitimate receiver intercepts asignal meant for individuals ofanother species

Termite smells pheromone of invadingant and attacks it

An illegitimate signaler mimics signals

Predatory fireflies mimic females of preyspecies


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Firefly Mimicry

Some species of

fireflies mimic thesignals

of other species

thus attractingTheir prey!


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Duck Hunters


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Worm Grunting Video

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=13028343&ch=4226722&src=news

Assignment: Planet Earth


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Sexual Selection (STOPPED)

Reproductive success is measured in number of

offspring produced

Reproductive success can be enhanced by

increasing the number of matings or the quality ofmates


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Male Reproductive Strategy

Produce energetically inexpensive

sperm

Often provide no parental care

Often maximize reproductive success

by mating with as many females as

possible


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Artic Hare


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Choosy Females

Female choice can dictate rules of

male competition and shape male

behavior

Selects for males that appeal to

females

Male sage grouse display in leks


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Male Contests

Females of some species cluster in

groups

Males of such species may fight one

another for access to harems

Selects for large males that can

defeat other males in contests


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Elephant Seals


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Elephants Seals DefendsTerritory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQI5KUfM2xc

David Attenborough - BBC Wildlife


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Bighorn Sheep Go Head ToHead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULRtdk-3Yh4

National Geographic


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Parenting Behavior

Enhancing the survival of offspring

can increase parents reproductive

success

Parental behavior comes at a cost;

drains time and effort that could be

spent producing additional offspring


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Parenting

or


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Benefits of SocialLiving

Improved detection of predators; many eyes

Improved repulsion of predators

Musk oxen

Sawflies


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Musk Oxen (Stopped here)


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Selfish Herd

A group held together by self-interest

Other members of the group form a

living shield against predators

Individuals may compete for the

safest spots; positions in the center

of the group


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Whos Dominant?


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Dominance Hierarchy

Some individuals accept subordinate

status to others

Dominant members have higher

reproductive success than

subordinates

Subordinates may do better over long

term than if they were on their own


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Alpha Wolf


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Costs of SocialLiving

Increased competition for food, mates, and other

limiting resources Increased vulnerability to disease and parasitism

Risk of exploitation by other group members


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Altruistic Behavior

Nonbreeding helpers are found in mammals, birds,

and insects

Altruists apparently sacrifice their reproductive

success to help others

How are genes for altruism perpetuated?


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Grandmother Grandchild

Indirect Selection ?


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Theory of Indirect Selection

Proposed by William Hamilton

Genes associated with caring for

relatives may be favored by selection

Altruists pass on genes indirectly by

helping relatives who have copies of

those genes to survive and reproduce


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Social Insects

Workers in colonies of social insects are sterile

These colonies are extended families

Workers pass on their genes indirectly by helping

relatives reproduce


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Termites

Workers and soldiers are sterile

A single queen and one or more kings

are the parents of the entire colony


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Termites


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NakedMole-Rats

Only mammals known to have a sterile worker

caste Single queen reproduces with one to three males

DNA evidence shows clan members are all closely

related


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Naked Mole Rat Queen

VERYPREGNANT. The breeding female 'queen in an insect-like

colony of naked mole-rats frequently produces litters

of 20 pups at a time, and one had more than 900 in her 12-year lifetime.


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Limited Resources are Shared

Pups in a naked mole-rat's litter may outnumber available

mammary glands, but pups learn to share and the nursing

mother's needs are tended to by helpers in the subterranean

colonies.


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Naked Mole Rat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_UDTzG-6Qo

BBC: The Life Of Mammals Ep4


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Considering Human Behavior

Some human behavior may be adaptive or may

have been adaptive in the past

Testing hypotheses about human behavior can

help us understand how they arose


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Sans People of South Africa

Hunter-bands


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Is Football Adaptive?

Cons

Too expensive

Too dangerous

Takes away from academics

Barbaric

Silly game for children


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Is Football Adaptive?

ProsIts fun

Keeps kids off the streets

Results in many physically fit malesMales learn how to play as a teamMales learn to overcome pain

Males learn to follow the command of an olderexperience leader

Result: a cohort of youngPotential warriors which is beneficial to

society


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Human Adoption

Evolutionary theorists predict that

people would be more likely to adopt

related children than nonrelatives

Studies have shown that in traditional

societies this is true

Adoption of nonrelatives may be an

example of redirected behavior


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Moral Questions

A behavior that is adaptive may or

may not be desirable or moral

Some behaviors that were adaptive insmall groups, such as adoption, may

no longer be adaptive in large

societies

A nonadaptive behavior may be

socially desirable


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Social Interactions

lecture social interactions 2010 2011

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