Factors influencing behaviour

• What is meant by 'trial and error'?

  Learning through repeated attempts and mistakes
• How do some birds learn by observation?

  They mimic behaviors of other birds
• How might hunting skills be passed on to the next generation for predators?

  Through teaching and observation of parents
• What is cultural learning?

  Learning behaviors through social interactions
• Give a well-quoted example of cultural learning.

  Birds learning songs from their parents
• What are the internal and external factors influencing behavior?

  • Hormones
  • Fixed action patterns
  • Other animals
  • Seasonal variation (food availability, daylight, weather)
• What are hormones?

  Chemical messages regulating body processes
• How do hormones influence behavior?

  They regulate behaviors related to bodily processes
• Give an example of a hormone influencing behavior.

  Testosterone affecting mating behavior
• What is a fixed action pattern?

  Hard-wired behaviors triggered by stimuli
• Give an example of a fixed action pattern.

  Pecking at red spots by herring gull chicks
• How does the presence of other animals influence behavior?

  Through competition, attraction, and fear responses
• What seasonal variations might influence animal behavior?

  Food availability, breeding cycles, and hibernation
• How do animals adapt to food shortages in winter?

  By hibernating or hoarding food
• What is the role of daylight in animal behavior?

  It regulates circadian rhythms and breeding cycles
• How does weather impact animal behavior?

  It affects food availability and shelter needs
• What do cold-blooded animals rely on for their metabolic processes?

  Ambient temperature
• How do seasonal changes in weather affect animal behavior?

  They influence food availability and shelter needs
• What is the oestrous cycle in sheep linked to?

  Decreasing hours of daylight
• How do animals prepare for harsh winter conditions?

  By building nests or storing fat
• How does the change in daylight hours trigger hibernation?

  It signals the need for energy conservation
• What is an example of a seasonal behavior in animals?

  Migrating south for the winter
• How do animals cope with decreased food availability?

  By becoming less selective in food choices
• What is the impact of food scarcity on predator behavior?

  Increased aggression and less selectivity
• How do seasonal variations affect breeding timing?

  Animals avoid giving birth in winter
• How do fixed action patterns differ from learned behaviors?

  Fixed action patterns are instinctual and predictable
• What is an example of a seasonal migration?

  Wildebeest migrating in dry seasons
• How do hormones affect aggression in animals?

  Higher testosterone levels increase aggression
• What happens to male deer during autumn?

  They exhibit the highest levels of aggression
• What is the role of progesterone in maternal behavior?

  It influences protective behaviors in mothers
• How does oestrogen influence animal behavior?

  It is linked to behaviors in oestrus/heat
• How do learned responses override instinctual behaviors?

  Through exposure and social interactions
• What is the significance of the red spot for herring gull chicks?

  It triggers feeding behavior from parents
• How do seasonal changes affect animal behavior?

  They influence food availability and breeding
• How do environmental factors influence hormonal production?

  Behavioral changes can alter hormone levels
• What is the impact of seasonal variation on animal behavior?

  It affects food availability and breeding cycles
• How do animals adapt to seasonal changes in food availability?

  By altering their feeding and breeding behaviors
• How do fixed action patterns ensure survival?

  They provide predictable responses to stimuli
• What is the role of the endocrine system?

  To produce and regulate hormones
• How do hormones affect social behavior?

  They influence responses to other animals