The Animal Behavior Investigator Lab
Description
This virtual lab, "The Animal Behavior Investigator," guides learners through 11 case-study stations exploring Tinbergen's Four Questions — Mechanism, Development, Function, and Phylogeny — split into Proximate and Ultimate causes of behavior. In Station 1, "The Red Trigger," learners observe a European Robin lunging at a red feather tuft while ignoring a red-less juvenile robin model, then investigate the case to determine which of Tinbergen's four questions best explains the behavior.
Learning Outcomes
Learners will define and differentiate Tinbergen's Four Questions (Mechanism, Development, Function, Phylogeny) as proximate versus ultimate explanations of behavior; analyze real animal case studies to identify which type of causation is being demonstrated; and apply this framework to explain how internal triggers, developmental history, adaptive value, and evolutionary origin each contribute to a given behavior.