BIOL 3700: Exam 3 – Biology Study Guide, Key Concepts and Practice Review
The scientific field of animal behavior... - ✔✔-Has its roots in Victorian popular natural history
but promoted anecdotal and usually anthropomorphic, divine interpretations of animals
-Was initially promoted by parsons that believed there was perfection in nature, and the study
of nature as a means to understand God's will.
-Generally ignored the higher cognitive capacities of animals until the work of Konrad Lorenz
and Niko Tinbergen demonstrated complex cognitive abilities in animals
Animal Behavior involves... - ✔✔-Both Theoretical and Empirical Approaches
-Involves both Observational and Experimental Studies
-Involves analysis of Proximate (Causation / Ontogeny) and Ultimate (Function / Evolution)
factors
-Involves studies of Ontogeny and Phylogeny of organisms
Pre-Darwinian views of animal natural history... - ✔✔-Not proved by a genetic basis for
behaviors
-Perfectly-designed animals
-Nature could be used as means to learn about God
-Usually anthropomorphic
-Largely anecdotal
-Did NOT emphasize use of objective observation (Were biased)
-Did NOT propose behaviors were heritable traits evolving by natural selection
Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were emphasizing the
use of objective observation. - ✔✔True
,Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were proving that there is
a genetic basis for behaviors. - ✔✔False
Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were proposing that
behaviors were heritable traits that evolve by natural selection. - ✔✔True
Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were suggesting
imperfection in traits including behavioral mistakes indicated a natural rather than divine origin
of behavior. - ✔✔True
Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were proposing that
traits that handicapped an animal's survival could evolve if they improved an animal's success at
acquiring mates or raising its young. - ✔✔True
Morgan's Canon states that we may not interpret a behavior as the outcome of the exercise of a
higher cognitive ability, if it can be interpreted as the outcome of an ability lower on the
cognitive-psychological scale of abilities - ✔✔True
Morgan's Canon excludes the interpretation of a particular behavior in terms of higher cognitive
processes. - ✔✔False
Morgan's Canon by no means excludes the interpretation of a particular behavior in terms of
higher processes. - ✔✔True
Morgan's Canon proposes that because behaviors are complex, we should not interpret an
action as the result of simple abilities, but rather the result of interactions of abilities across
multiple cognitive-psychological scales of ability - ✔✔False
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
, A sequence of innate actions that is inhibited by an innate releasing mechanism. - ✔✔True
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
A sequence of unlearned actions that varies from time to time but is always carried to
completion. - ✔✔False
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
A sequence of unlearned actions that is independent of environmental control. - ✔✔True
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
A sequence of innate actions that is independent of environmental control and always carried to
completion. - ✔✔True
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
FAPs are identical in form each time and stimulated by an innate releasing mechanism. -
✔✔False
Which of the following statements about the proximate, neurological basis of behaviors are
true?:
The speed with which interneurons transmit signals increases with decreasing nerve diameter. -
✔✔False
The scientific field of animal behavior... - ✔✔-Has its roots in Victorian popular natural history
but promoted anecdotal and usually anthropomorphic, divine interpretations of animals
-Was initially promoted by parsons that believed there was perfection in nature, and the study
of nature as a means to understand God's will.
-Generally ignored the higher cognitive capacities of animals until the work of Konrad Lorenz
and Niko Tinbergen demonstrated complex cognitive abilities in animals
Animal Behavior involves... - ✔✔-Both Theoretical and Empirical Approaches
-Involves both Observational and Experimental Studies
-Involves analysis of Proximate (Causation / Ontogeny) and Ultimate (Function / Evolution)
factors
-Involves studies of Ontogeny and Phylogeny of organisms
Pre-Darwinian views of animal natural history... - ✔✔-Not proved by a genetic basis for
behaviors
-Perfectly-designed animals
-Nature could be used as means to learn about God
-Usually anthropomorphic
-Largely anecdotal
-Did NOT emphasize use of objective observation (Were biased)
-Did NOT propose behaviors were heritable traits evolving by natural selection
Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were emphasizing the
use of objective observation. - ✔✔True
,Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were proving that there is
a genetic basis for behaviors. - ✔✔False
Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were proposing that
behaviors were heritable traits that evolve by natural selection. - ✔✔True
Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were suggesting
imperfection in traits including behavioral mistakes indicated a natural rather than divine origin
of behavior. - ✔✔True
Some of Darwin's major contributions to the study of animal behavior were proposing that
traits that handicapped an animal's survival could evolve if they improved an animal's success at
acquiring mates or raising its young. - ✔✔True
Morgan's Canon states that we may not interpret a behavior as the outcome of the exercise of a
higher cognitive ability, if it can be interpreted as the outcome of an ability lower on the
cognitive-psychological scale of abilities - ✔✔True
Morgan's Canon excludes the interpretation of a particular behavior in terms of higher cognitive
processes. - ✔✔False
Morgan's Canon by no means excludes the interpretation of a particular behavior in terms of
higher processes. - ✔✔True
Morgan's Canon proposes that because behaviors are complex, we should not interpret an
action as the result of simple abilities, but rather the result of interactions of abilities across
multiple cognitive-psychological scales of ability - ✔✔False
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
, A sequence of innate actions that is inhibited by an innate releasing mechanism. - ✔✔True
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
A sequence of unlearned actions that varies from time to time but is always carried to
completion. - ✔✔False
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
A sequence of unlearned actions that is independent of environmental control. - ✔✔True
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
A sequence of innate actions that is independent of environmental control and always carried to
completion. - ✔✔True
Which of the following descriptions of a Fixed Action Pattern are correct?:
FAPs are identical in form each time and stimulated by an innate releasing mechanism. -
✔✔False
Which of the following statements about the proximate, neurological basis of behaviors are
true?:
The speed with which interneurons transmit signals increases with decreasing nerve diameter. -
✔✔False
