Learned behavior in animals

About learning behavior in animals.

1. Learned Behavior in Animals Muhammad Ahmed Baig

2. Learned Behavior It is a behavior that is shaped through experience (through conditioning, punishment, reward). Animals are born with some genetic programs while some behaviors are learned through experience. Compared with innate behaviors, learned behaviors are more flexible.

3. Conti… Learning behavior ensure survival of animal. An animal’s genetic makeup and body structure determine what kinds of behavior are possible for it to learn. An animal can learn to do only what it is physically capable of doing. A dolphin cannot learn to ride a bicycle, because it has no legs to work the pedals, and no fingers to grasp the handle bars

4. Conti… An animal learns and is able to respond and adapt to a changing environment. The animal is forced to change its behavior by change in environment, so that it can survive in changed environment.

5. Types of Learning behavior Habituation Classical conditioning Observation Food hoarding Imprinting Reasoning and Insight learning Operant conditioning

6. Habituation Habituation is a simple form of learning in which an animal stops responding to a stimulus, or cue, after a period of repeated exposure . Prairie dogs typically sound an alarm call when threatened by a predator, but they become habituated to the sound of human footsteps when no harm is associated with this sound; therefore, they no longer respond to them with an alarm call

7. Classical Conditioning In classical conditioning, a behavior is paired with an unrelated stimulus; in operant conditioning, behaviors are modified by consequences . Example is, a dog to whom before giving food a bell is rang every time and it salivate automatically when bell is rung.

8. Observation The learning of behaviors by observing the behavior of others. An animal copies what is happening by other organisms around him. When a grizzly bear catches a fish in presence of cubs, cubs will observe and learn to catch fish.

9. Food hoarding Hoarding or caching in animal behavior is the storage of food in locations hidden from the sight of other animals. The purpose of hoarding or caching is to store food in times of surplus for times when food is less plentiful. This behavior is seen in animals like squirrel and some birds.

10. Imprinting The process by which young animals attach to those who are present at their first sight. It assures that young stay closed to their mother for protection and as a source of food.

11. Reasoning and Insight learning It is based on past experience and reasoning. It is animal’s capacity of solving a problem or going through hurdle.

12. Operant conditioning It is a type of learning in which an animal learns (or, is conditioned) from its behaviors as it acts (operates) on the environment . e.g a woodpecker finds a particular tree that offers an especially abundant supply of the bird's favorite bugs. The woodpecker is likely to return to that tree again and again.

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