Innate, learned, and social animal behavior Lab
Description
This module explores animal behavior through fifteen stations across three categories. Innate Behavior covers kinesis, taxis, fixed action patterns, reflexes, and seasonal strategies — automatic responses shaped by biology rather than experience. Learned Behavior covers imprinting, habituation, classical conditioning, operant learning, and insight learning — behaviors shaped through experience. Social Behavior covers communication, agonistic behavior, dominance hierarchies, cooperation, and altruism — how animals interact within groups.
Learning Outcomes
Learners will define and distinguish innate behaviors like kinesis, taxis, fixed action patterns, reflexes, and seasonal strategies; explain learned behaviors including imprinting, habituation, and conditioning; and analyze social behaviors such as communication, dominance hierarchies, cooperation, and altruism, applying key concepts like sign stimuli, reinforcement, and kin selection to real examples.