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Emory NBB 201: Exam 2 Questions and Answers|2025
Update|100% Correct.
Ethology - (answers)The systematic study of behavior of animals.
Proximate Cause - (answers)"How" explanation of behavior
1: Genetic-developmental causes
2: Sensory motor mechanisms
Ultimate Cause - (answers)"Why" explanation of behavior
1: Historical pathways
2: Selective pressures
Darwin's "General Principles of Expression" - (answers)Evolution of behavior,
emotion and communication.
Behaviorism - (answers)Evolution and genes don't matter, learning does. Didn't
include: mechanisms, comparisons or natural environment
Behaviorism (vs Ethology) - (answers)Location: N America
Foundation: Psychology
Focus: white rat
Interest: learned behavior
Method: lab control of variables
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Ethology (vs Behaviorism) - (answers)Location: Europe
Foundation: Zoology
Focus: birds, insects, fish
Interest: instinctive behavior
Method: field observations and experiments
Natural environment vs lab environment - (answers)Natural: causes bigger brains
than in the lab
Lab: even enriched environments cannot compare to the stimulation of the
natural environment
Tinbergen's 4 Why's - (answers)To fully understand behavior we need to ask Qs
about
1: Function
2: Causation
3: Development
4: Phylogeny (evolutionary history)
Original Ideas of Ethology - (answers)A: Understand how behavior has evolved
B: Emphasis on inherited behavioral responses
C: Analysis fixed action patterns
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Instinct - (answers)A behavioral pattern that is fully functional from the first time
it's performed
Fixed Action Pattern - (answers)Unit of inherited behavior
- no learning is necessary
- once triggered, continues until completion even if inappropriate
- leads to refractory period
- requires releaser (sign stimulus)
- response threshold can change depending on conditions
- can change over time due to maturation and experience
Sign Stimulus/releaser - (answers)Activates a FAP
- can be simple features
- can be exaggerated (supernormal stimulus
Innate Releasing Mechanism (IRM) - (answers)Biological mechanism for triggering
a FAP
- special neurosensory mechanism that releases the FAP and is responsible for
selectivity to a special combination of stimuli (the releasers)
Supernormal Stimulus - (answers)Exaggerated sign stimulus that elicits an
exaggerated response
Emory NBB 201: Exam 2 Questions and Answers|2025
Update|100% Correct.
Ethology - (answers)The systematic study of behavior of animals.
Proximate Cause - (answers)"How" explanation of behavior
1: Genetic-developmental causes
2: Sensory motor mechanisms
Ultimate Cause - (answers)"Why" explanation of behavior
1: Historical pathways
2: Selective pressures
Darwin's "General Principles of Expression" - (answers)Evolution of behavior,
emotion and communication.
Behaviorism - (answers)Evolution and genes don't matter, learning does. Didn't
include: mechanisms, comparisons or natural environment
Behaviorism (vs Ethology) - (answers)Location: N America
Foundation: Psychology
Focus: white rat
Interest: learned behavior
Method: lab control of variables
,2|Page
Ethology (vs Behaviorism) - (answers)Location: Europe
Foundation: Zoology
Focus: birds, insects, fish
Interest: instinctive behavior
Method: field observations and experiments
Natural environment vs lab environment - (answers)Natural: causes bigger brains
than in the lab
Lab: even enriched environments cannot compare to the stimulation of the
natural environment
Tinbergen's 4 Why's - (answers)To fully understand behavior we need to ask Qs
about
1: Function
2: Causation
3: Development
4: Phylogeny (evolutionary history)
Original Ideas of Ethology - (answers)A: Understand how behavior has evolved
B: Emphasis on inherited behavioral responses
C: Analysis fixed action patterns
, 3|Page
Instinct - (answers)A behavioral pattern that is fully functional from the first time
it's performed
Fixed Action Pattern - (answers)Unit of inherited behavior
- no learning is necessary
- once triggered, continues until completion even if inappropriate
- leads to refractory period
- requires releaser (sign stimulus)
- response threshold can change depending on conditions
- can change over time due to maturation and experience
Sign Stimulus/releaser - (answers)Activates a FAP
- can be simple features
- can be exaggerated (supernormal stimulus
Innate Releasing Mechanism (IRM) - (answers)Biological mechanism for triggering
a FAP
- special neurosensory mechanism that releases the FAP and is responsible for
selectivity to a special combination of stimuli (the releasers)
Supernormal Stimulus - (answers)Exaggerated sign stimulus that elicits an
exaggerated response
