Question 1

Which of the following best describes the concept of a 'releaser' in animal behavior?

Accepted Answer

A simple sensory stimulus that elicits a fixed action pattern.

Question 2

In Tinbergen's experiment with herring gull chicks, what was the releaser for begging behavior?

Accepted Answer

The red dot on the parent's bill.

Question 3

A digger wasp uses pine cones placed around her nest entrance to find her way back. What type of learning does this illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Spatial learning

Question 4

Which scenario best illustrates imprinting?

Accepted Answer

A gosling following the first moving object it sees after hatching.

Question 5

Imprinting occurs during a 'critical period.' Which statement best describes a critical period?

Accepted Answer

A developmental stage when exposure to certain stimuli produces irreversible effects on behavior.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a mode of animal communication?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthetic

Question 7

A honeybee performs a waggle dance. What information does this dance convey?

Accepted Answer

The distance and direction to a food source.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of chemical communication in animals?

Accepted Answer

A wolf marking its territory with urine.

Question 9

What distinguishes a fixed action pattern from learned behavior?

Accepted Answer

Fixed action patterns are instinctive and triggered by specific releasers.

Question 10

Which experiment demonstrated that birds use their circadian clocks to orient using the sun?

Accepted Answer

Birds were exposed to a phase-shifted light/dark cycle and then tested in an arena with natural sunlight.

Question 11

Which property of circadian rhythms is illustrated by the equation $$	ext{Period} \approx 24 	ext{ hours}$$?

Accepted Answer

Circadian rhythms are endogenous and persist in constant conditions.

Question 12

A rat in constant darkness continues to show a daily rhythm of activity. What does this suggest?

Accepted Answer

The rat has an endogenous biological clock.

Question 13

Which of the following is a consequence of circadian rhythm disruption in humans?

Accepted Answer

Fatigue and impaired performance

Question 14

Which hormone shows a daily rhythm in humans, peaking at night and promoting sleep?

Accepted Answer

Melatonin

Question 15

In an experiment, a bird's internal clock is delayed by 6 hours. If tested at 3pm, which direction will the bird likely choose?

Accepted Answer

The bird will orient to the west, thinking it is 9am.

Question 16

Which of the following best explains why honeybees can communicate food location in the dark hive?

Accepted Answer

They use tactile communication through dance.

Question 17

Which question is central to ethologists studying animal behavior?

Accepted Answer

Is behavior due to inheritance or experience?

Question 18

Which scenario is an example of migration?

Accepted Answer

A bird traveling seasonally between breeding and nonbreeding grounds.

Question 19

Which equation best represents the relationship between circadian rhythm and temperature in cold-blooded animals?

Accepted Answer

$$	ext{Period} \approx 24 	ext{ hours}$$, regardless of temperature

Question 20

Which of the following is a plausible outcome of sleep deprivation experiments in humans?

Accepted Answer

There are phases when sleep is not allowed by the circadian clock, even if subjects are tired.

Animal Behavior: Mechanisms, Learning, and Biological Rhythms

Study Guide - Practice Questions