Internal and external stimuli

• What is animal behaviour?

  All ways animals interact with their environment
• What is a stimulus?

  Anything that elicits an action or response
• Why do animals respond to stimuli?

  To keep themselves in favourable conditions
• What are the two distinct branches of stimuli?

  Internal and external
• What is a response?

  The reaction to the stimulus
• What is a learned response?

  Learning what the stimulus response will be
• What is an automatic response?

  Reacting to a stimulus without thought
• What triggers internal stimuli?

  Thoughts or physiological sensations
• What is homeostasis?

  The tendency to maintain a balanced state
• What happens when the human body gets too cold?

  Muscles shake to produce warmth
• What does the body do when it is too hot?

  The body sweats to cool down
• What are the two possible responses to another animal?

  Fight or flight
• What is a fixed action pattern (FAP)?

  An instinctive behavioural response
• What triggers a fixed action pattern?

  A specific stimulus called a sign stimulus
• Can a fixed action pattern be stopped midstream?

  No, it must play out to completion
• Give an example of a fixed action pattern.

  Yawning or egg rolling
• Is a cat getting hungry an internal or external influence?

  Internal influence
• Is a rabbit getting scared by a fox an internal or external influence?

  External influence
• Is a peacock fanning out its tail feathers an internal or external influence?

  External influence
• Is a dog limping after hurting its leg an internal or external influence?

  Internal influence
• Is horses finding shelter when it starts to rain an internal or external influence?

  External influence
• What are the six factors influencing animal behaviour?

  • Hormones
  • Other animals
  • Seasonal variation of food availability
  • Seasonal variation of daylight
  • Variation in weather
• What are hormones?

  Chemical messengers inside the body
• How are hormones related to behaviour?

  Behaviour is related to changes in hormones
• How do animals respond to other animals?

  Responses can be instinctive or learned
• How does seasonal variation affect animal behaviour?

  Affects growth of vegetation and availability
• What do circadian rhythms regulate?

  Body processes based on light and dark cycles
• What is the effect of daylight on animal behaviour?

  Affects circadian rhythms