NPB 102 MIDTERM EXAM WITH QUESTIONA ND CORRECT
ANSWERS!!
How have we defined animal behavior in class? - ANSWER How an animal interfaces
with the world around it. It is an internally coordinated, externally visible pattern of
activity that responds to changing external or internal conditions.
What are the challenges to human behavior? What challenges arise at different spatial
and temporal
scales? - ANSWER The challenges are rarity, accessibility and limits of human
perception.
Spatial scale is too large you can use aerial or satellite imagery, data visualization to
observe and map data from trackers for migration. If it's too small can you can use
microscopes & video microscopy for foraging, predation, and sexual reproduction.
Temporal scale is too slow you can use time-lapse photography. If it's too fast you can
use high speed videography.
What are Niko Tinbergen's "four questions" about behavior? Which of each of the four
questions do
the different components of the "levels of analysis" correspond to? - ANSWER How
does it develop? (Ontogeny)(PD)
What mechanisms underlie it? (Causation)(PC)
How did it evolve? (Phylogeny)(UH)
How does it contribute to survival? (Adaptation)(UF)
What is Tinbergen's "Zeroth Question" and why is it important? - ANSWER What is the
animal doing? This question is important to ask because it is the basis for descriptive
research.
"What is the animal doing?" This is important because in order to examine the four
questions about behavior, we have to first establish that the animal is exhibiting a
behavior. The observation also leads to forming a hypothesis.
, What is the difference between "pure science" reasons and "applied" reasons for
studying behavior (or anything else)? What are some examples of each? Why is it
important to study problems from a "basic" standpoint even if your main interest is in
"applied" problems? - ANSWER "Pure science" reasons are critical to survival and
reproductive success. It involves internal homeostasis (temperature, water/salt
balance, energy balance and nutrition), predator avoidance, and reproduction.
Reproduction affects organismal interactions and ecological communities. Looking at
theory. How does behavior fit in the biological lifeset of the animal.
"Applied" reasons/research allows scientists to translate "pure knowledge" about
behavior into innovations in technology and engineering, strategies to control and
eradicate diseases, stronger conservation efforts to protect endangered species, and a
better understanding about ourselves. Taking basic theoretical knowledge and use that
to make better decisions.
You need to understand the individual and all the internal processes in the individual to
get a better understanding of the community.
What is the difference between "levels or organization" and "levels of analysis?" -
ANSWER Levels of organization: molecules → organelles → cells → organs → organ
systems → individual → populations → communities → ecosystems
Levels of analysis:
Proximate Causal - genetic developmental mechanisms and sensory motor mechanisms
Proximate Developmental- how did it develop? Learning, genes * environment ,
experience, innateness
Ultimate Fitness: how does it help improve to overall fitness?
Ultimate Historical : where in the ancestors did the behavior develop?
Levels of organization include how things like molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, and
organs are put together to form individuals and how individuals congregate into things
like populations, communities, and ecosystems.
Levels of analysis are different ways of answering questions about behavior; at each
level, one can make multiple hypotheses that answer each of Tinbergen's questions;
each of Tinbergen's questions can be considered to be a level of analysis (the levels of
analysis include: proximate-developmental, proximate-causal, ultimate-historical,
ultimate-fitness).
ANSWERS!!
How have we defined animal behavior in class? - ANSWER How an animal interfaces
with the world around it. It is an internally coordinated, externally visible pattern of
activity that responds to changing external or internal conditions.
What are the challenges to human behavior? What challenges arise at different spatial
and temporal
scales? - ANSWER The challenges are rarity, accessibility and limits of human
perception.
Spatial scale is too large you can use aerial or satellite imagery, data visualization to
observe and map data from trackers for migration. If it's too small can you can use
microscopes & video microscopy for foraging, predation, and sexual reproduction.
Temporal scale is too slow you can use time-lapse photography. If it's too fast you can
use high speed videography.
What are Niko Tinbergen's "four questions" about behavior? Which of each of the four
questions do
the different components of the "levels of analysis" correspond to? - ANSWER How
does it develop? (Ontogeny)(PD)
What mechanisms underlie it? (Causation)(PC)
How did it evolve? (Phylogeny)(UH)
How does it contribute to survival? (Adaptation)(UF)
What is Tinbergen's "Zeroth Question" and why is it important? - ANSWER What is the
animal doing? This question is important to ask because it is the basis for descriptive
research.
"What is the animal doing?" This is important because in order to examine the four
questions about behavior, we have to first establish that the animal is exhibiting a
behavior. The observation also leads to forming a hypothesis.
, What is the difference between "pure science" reasons and "applied" reasons for
studying behavior (or anything else)? What are some examples of each? Why is it
important to study problems from a "basic" standpoint even if your main interest is in
"applied" problems? - ANSWER "Pure science" reasons are critical to survival and
reproductive success. It involves internal homeostasis (temperature, water/salt
balance, energy balance and nutrition), predator avoidance, and reproduction.
Reproduction affects organismal interactions and ecological communities. Looking at
theory. How does behavior fit in the biological lifeset of the animal.
"Applied" reasons/research allows scientists to translate "pure knowledge" about
behavior into innovations in technology and engineering, strategies to control and
eradicate diseases, stronger conservation efforts to protect endangered species, and a
better understanding about ourselves. Taking basic theoretical knowledge and use that
to make better decisions.
You need to understand the individual and all the internal processes in the individual to
get a better understanding of the community.
What is the difference between "levels or organization" and "levels of analysis?" -
ANSWER Levels of organization: molecules → organelles → cells → organs → organ
systems → individual → populations → communities → ecosystems
Levels of analysis:
Proximate Causal - genetic developmental mechanisms and sensory motor mechanisms
Proximate Developmental- how did it develop? Learning, genes * environment ,
experience, innateness
Ultimate Fitness: how does it help improve to overall fitness?
Ultimate Historical : where in the ancestors did the behavior develop?
Levels of organization include how things like molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, and
organs are put together to form individuals and how individuals congregate into things
like populations, communities, and ecosystems.
Levels of analysis are different ways of answering questions about behavior; at each
level, one can make multiple hypotheses that answer each of Tinbergen's questions;
each of Tinbergen's questions can be considered to be a level of analysis (the levels of
analysis include: proximate-developmental, proximate-causal, ultimate-historical,
ultimate-fitness).
