AP Biology questions on Development of Behavior

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🧠 Nature vs. Nurture: The debate on whether genes (nature) or environment (nurture) have a greater impact on behavior.
• 🐣 Innate Behavior: Instinctive behaviors that are genetically programmed, like a bird building a nest.
• 🌱 Learned Behavior: Behaviors that are modified through experience, such as habituation, imprinting, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning.
• 🐾 Fixed Action Pattern (FAP): A sequence of unlearned acts directly linked to a simple stimulus (e.g., goose egg retrieval).
• 🕰️ Critical Period: A sensitive phase in an animal's life where specific behaviors can be learned (e.g., imprinting).
• 🗺️ Migration: Regular, long-distance change in location often based on environmental cues and genetic predispositions.
• 🗣️ Communication: Signals and displays used to transmit information, including visual, auditory, chemical, and tactile signals.
• 🤝 Social Behavior: Interactions among individuals, including cooperation, competition, and altruism.
• ⚖️ Optimal Foraging Theory: Animals forage in a way that minimizes the cost and maximizes the benefits.
• 🧬 Genetic Basis: Genes can influence behavior. For example, certain genes are associated with aggression or mating behaviors.

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following best describes a fixed action pattern?
   1. A. A behavior that is easily modified by experience.
   2. B. A complex behavior requiring extensive learning.
   3. C. An unlearned behavioral sequence triggered by a specific stimulus.
   4. D. A behavior that is only observed in captive animals.
2. Imprinting is a type of learning that occurs during a:
   1. A. Long period.
   2. B. Critical period.
   3. C. Latent period.
   4. D. Short period.
3. Which of the following is an example of innate behavior?
   1. A. A dog learning to sit on command.
   2. B. A bird building a nest.
   3. C. A student studying for an exam.
   4. D. A chimpanzee using tools to forage for food.
4. What does the optimal foraging theory predict?
   1. A. Animals will always choose the most nutritious food source.
   2. B. Animals will forage in a way that maximizes energy expenditure.
   3. C. Animals will forage in a way that minimizes costs and maximizes benefits.
   4. D. Animals will always forage alone.
5. Which of the following is NOT a common mode of animal communication?
   1. A. Visual signals.
   2. B. Auditory signals.
   3. C. Chemical signals.
   4. D. Telepathic signals.
6. What is the primary difference between classical and operant conditioning?
   1. A. Classical conditioning involves associating a stimulus with a consequence, while operant conditioning involves associating a behavior with a stimulus.
   2. B. Classical conditioning involves associating a behavior with a consequence, while operant conditioning involves associating a stimulus with a consequence.
   3. C. Classical conditioning is a type of innate behavior, while operant conditioning is a type of learned behavior.
   4. D. Classical conditioning is only observed in invertebrates, while operant conditioning is only observed in vertebrates.
7. Altruistic behavior is primarily driven by:
   1. A. Direct personal gain.
   2. B. Increasing the survival and reproduction of relatives.
   3. C. Competition for resources.
   4. D. Avoiding predators.