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PSY 322 Exam 1; Question 2 (preparedness (defintion, prepared behaviors,…
PSY 322 Exam 1; Question 2
Fixed Action Pattern
Definition/General
The response that a key stimulus releases
Species Specific motor patterns that are rigid, sterotyped, and "blind"
Occurrence depends upon key stimulus and is not learned
FAP for ethologists = instinctive behavior; hardwired into the NS and released by set of conditions (key stimuli)
Moltz (1965) 4 empirical properties of a FAP
Stereotyped
Implies behavior is invariable, generally true, but some does exist
EXAMPLE:
Independent of immediate external control
Once FAP activated, continues to completion regardless of change in external environment
Graylag goose e.g.
FAP = drawing the egg toward nest w/bill
Continues to completion, even if egg is removed
FAP once released is independent of external changes in situation
BUT must be some limitations of independence of FAPs so can respond when attacked for e.g.
Lateral side-side motion = tax
Taxes= similar to FAPS in that they are unlearned; but they are responsive to environmental change
Depends on sensory feedback as egg moves unequally
spontaneous
in addition to external stimulation, internal motivation necessary
longer interval since last occurrence of FAP, more ready it is to occur
spontaneous b/c when energy has built up to a point, the behavior may occur "in vacuo"
in vacuo = be released w/o key stimulus
E.g. Spontaneity of FAPs often cited as evidence for CNS structures that control behavior independent of experience
independent of learning
Appears to be non-modifiable through learning
Hailman showed this may not be totally true
His analysis shows close interaction of innate and acquired behaviors
Gull chick has rough innate representation of the parents thats sharpened through experience
New chicks initially dont discriminate btw models of own parents beaks and those of related species
By one week old, chicks sensitive to small diffs in details of beak and head and can discriminate btw new models and models they were raised with
Discrimination built on classical conditioning possibly (learning) but also could be due to maturational development not learning
Sign Stimuli AKA key stimuli
key that allows behavior to occur = bio important stimulus that are environmental
stimuli that involve behavior of another member of the species = releasors/social releasors
preparedness
defintion
prepared behaviors
unprepared behaviors
contraprepared behaviors