Biology SC30243 Unit 2 Lesson 2Ethology Part 2 – Learning!

Let’s learn about learning!!

Textbook Disclaimer: Anthropomorphism

Applying human feelings, human qualities, and human emotions or traits to animals and other organisms. We must remember, when studying animal behavior, that most animals are simply responding to stimuli, and don’t “think” about the world (or the consequences of their actions) in the same way that we do. That said, new evidence suggests that more intelligent organisms display complex emotions and learning abilities. Some argue that animals can feel empathy, and perhaps even a sense of morality! Watch the videos online to learn more!

1) Learning

• In higher developed animals we can find learning behavior in addition to FAPs.

• Learning increases the probability of survival, which increases the chance of reproduction.

• Learning allows individuals to adjust their responses to stimuli based on their experiences.

There are 4 main categories of learning

i.) Habituationii.) Classical Conditioning iii.) Operant Conditioningiv.) Insight Learning

i.) Habituation:• Habituation is the simplest type of learning• Habituation is when an animal decreases or

stops responding to a repetitive stimulus that neither rewards nor harms the animal.

E.g. Scare-Crows! -- Crows quickly learn that the Scare-Crow is not an actual person, and will not chase them or harm them!They stay and eat the corn…

Other examples of habituation…

• Example 2: A turtle draws its head back into its shell (response) when its shell is touched (stimulus).

• How could habituation alter this response?• After being touched repeatedly with no

negative consequences the turtle realizes it’s not in danger and no longer hides!

Other examples?

• Living in a big city and hearing police sirens, car alarms, etc… in the distance; most people don’t pay much attention!

ii) Classical Conditioning

An animal’s mental connection between a stimulus and some kind of reward or punishment (neutral stimulus vs. stimulus of significance)

e.g.: for a many dogs the stimulus of seeing a leash (neutral stimulus) is associated with a pleasant reward-a walk outside (stimulus of significance)!

Understanding of Classical conditioning was pioneered by Ivan Pavlov and his work with dogs.

Classical Conditioning -- Pavlov’s Dog

The presentation of a neutral stimulus (the sound of a bell) along with a stimulus of some significance (delicious food!)

Classical Conditioning:

The same can be done with a tuning fork, a whistle, a song, or any other sound / stimulus you’d like!

Speaking of food…Who’s hungry?

Bored yet?

Habituation and Conditioning

• After enough exposure to a neutral stimulus, a stimulus that results in no negative or positive reward, habituation occurs!

• Animals trained through classical conditioning can be un-trained through habituation!

• E.x. Lazy Dog-Owners: if you bring out the leash but never walk your dog, it won’t get excited anymore when it sees the leash!

iii) Operant Conditioning• When an animal learns through trial and error,

or will adjust or modify its behavior based on consequences or rewards.

• Random behaviors can lead to a reward or a punishment. Those behaviors can then be kept, forgotten, or changed depending on the results!

Operant conditioning in the wild: Mr. Coyote tried to chase down a delicious and spikey-looking animal for dinner. What did Mr. Coyote

learn?

Operant Conditioning via a “Skinner Box”

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)

Operant Conditioning via the Skinner Box

• It contains a button or lever that, when pressed, delivers a food reward.

• After an animal is rewarded several times, it learns that it gets food whenever it presses the button or lever.

Advanced behavior

Insight learning• When an animal applies something it has

already learned to a new situation, without a period of trial and error, it is called insight learning.

• Common among humans, primates, whales and dolphins, and among intelligent birds like crows, ravens and parrots.

Bananas are kept out of reach…What does the chimpanzee do?

Success!

• Chimpanzees are capable of insight learning – using their past experience and knowledge to perform new tasks, or to solve complex problems.

Insight Learning in Crows: the 8-step problem solved by 007 (the bird not the man)

Textbook Assignment: Imprinting and Konrad Lorenz!

Imprinting

• Imprinting involves both innate and learned behavior.

• Young animals learn to recognize and follow the first moving object that they see during a critical time early in their lives. Usually, this object is their mother.

• Acquired during a limited, critical time period (usually right after birth)

Imprinting on aircraft

Animals can be imprinted to :

• People• Animals of other species• Moving and non-moving dead objects(e.g.: a leather-boot)

They only have to be exposed to these things during a critical time early in their lives.

Follow-Up Questions!

• 1) Look at page 842-843 in your textbook. Name the four different types of learning and provide one example of each.

• 2) Describe Imprinting. Is it a learned behavior, an innate behavior, or a mix of each?