Chapter 51 Exam Hints

How to best study?
1. Know the lecture thoroughly.
2. Study the Cliffs Note book on animal behavior (the section on learning). Do the multiple choice questions. Read the answers carefully.


Know what a fixed action pattern is.
Know that the thing which initiates a fixed action pattern is a stimulus called a “releaser”. Know some examples of what a releaser might be.
Know that experimenters can find the important aspects of a releaser and construct a releaser in a lab that is better than can be found in nature (herring gull bill vs. a red stick with white stripes).
Know that Niko Tinbergen was the scientist who did important work with this and won a Noble Prize for his work.

Know what habituation is. Be able to recognize some examples from different animals.

Be able to recognize classical conditioning and be able to distinguish it from operant conditioning (trial and error learning). This is important since many students get confused by the difference. Know that Pavlov discovered classical conditioning and B.F. Skinner is famous for his work in operant conditioning.

Know what imprinting is and the importance of critical periods.
Know that Konrad Lorenz was the famous scientist who did this research. He won the Noble Prize for his work.

Finally, know that Karl Von Frisch discovered how bees communicate and won a Noble Prize for his work. If you have extra time check out the CD ROM Activity 51.1 to see how bees communicate- it is very cool!

Know what a pheromone is and how it is used in animal communication (p. 1074)

Good Luck.
23 multiple choice questions on animal behavior (learning).