Habituation and Innate Habituation and Innate Behaviour PatternsBehaviour Patterns

Psychology 3306Psychology 3306

Innate behaviourInnate behaviour

Why talk about this in learning?Why talk about this in learning?Well, learning often involves innate Well, learning often involves innate

behaviourbehaviourMany of the rules are similarMany of the rules are similarGives some perspective, i.e., not all Gives some perspective, i.e., not all

behaviour is learnedbehaviour is learned

ThermoregulationThermoregulation

Set

PointEffectors Controlled

Variable

FeedbackGain:

Vasoconstriction

Shivering

Loss

Dilation

Sweating

panting

Feedback mechanisms can be + or – or both

ReflexesReflexes

Stereotypic in response to a stimulusStereotypic in response to a stimulusSensory -> inter -> motor neuronsSensory -> inter -> motor neuronsSome quite complex behaviour can come Some quite complex behaviour can come

of such simple connections and in of such simple connections and in relatively simple animalsrelatively simple animals

In a Moth’s Ear….In a Moth’s Ear….

Moth Ear basically Moth Ear basically has two neurons A1 has two neurons A1 and A2and A2

They are not They are not frequency sensitive, frequency sensitive, but do not respond to but do not respond to low frequencieslow frequencies

Those would be some tiny Q Those would be some tiny Q tips…..tips…..

Do Moths Have Ear Wax?Do Moths Have Ear Wax?

A1 is responsive to A1 is responsive to intensityintensity

More firing with closer More firing with closer batbat

A2 only fires with very A2 only fires with very loud soundsloud sounds

A2 fires, bat must be A2 fires, bat must be very closevery close

Moths and Bats, Charts and Moths and Bats, Charts and GraphsGraphs

A1 on the left fires, that A1 on the left fires, that wing beats fasterwing beats faster

Moth’s course corrects to Moth’s course corrects to 180 degrees from bat180 degrees from bat

So very and totally coolSo very and totally cool A2, go crazyA2, go crazy 2 neuron ear can encode 2 neuron ear can encode

where a predator in in 3 where a predator in in 3 dimensional space!!!dimensional space!!!

ExamplesExamples Its not just me that thinks this is way Its not just me that thinks this is way

coolcool

Behavioural SequencesBehavioural Sequences

Fixed action patternsFixed action patternsEveryone does itEveryone does itNot prior learningNot prior learningRigid sequenceRigid sequence

ExamplesExamples

Dust bathing in Burmese Red JunglefowlDust bathing in Burmese Red JunglefowlAncestor of our KFCAncestor of our KFC

Function of the behaviour is to clean out Function of the behaviour is to clean out oil from the feathers and to get rid of oil from the feathers and to get rid of parasites.parasites.

Some birds bathe in water, others in dustSome birds bathe in water, others in dust

Animal starts out by fluffing up some dust

Next is a bill scratch, which gets the dust up onto the neck

Lots of scratching goes on to work up a bit of a cloud really

DustbathingDustbathing

This is actually pretty This is actually pretty complex beahaviourcomplex beahaviour

Vestergaard, Hogan Vestergaard, Hogan and Krujt (1990) and Krujt (1990) found that junglefowl found that junglefowl don’t need dust!don’t need dust!

Hogan and Van Boxel Hogan and Van Boxel (1993) found that (1993) found that dustbathing was dustbathing was already rhythmic at 14 already rhythmic at 14 days post hatchdays post hatch

Etholodgy is coolEtholodgy is cool

Reaction chains are sequences of FAPsReaction chains are sequences of FAPsYou can tell it is a reaction chain and not You can tell it is a reaction chain and not

an FAP if the animal can stop the an FAP if the animal can stop the behaviourbehaviour

We have reduced all of ethology down to a We have reduced all of ethology down to a few power point slides…….few power point slides…….

HabituationHabituation

Decrease in the strength of a response Decrease in the strength of a response after repeated presentation of a discreet after repeated presentation of a discreet stimulusstimulus

Getting used to it, sort ofGetting used to it, sort ofNOT sensory adaptation or simply fatigueNOT sensory adaptation or simply fatigueStimulus specificStimulus specificOrienting responseOrienting responseStartle responseStartle response

The rulesThe rules

Thompson and Spencer (1966)Thompson and Spencer (1966)Gradual with timeGradual with timeWithhold stimulus and response will Withhold stimulus and response will

reoccurreoccurSavingsSavings IntensityIntensityOverlearningOverlearningStimulus generalizationStimulus generalization

Pokin’ aplysisaPokin’ aplysisa

Kendel et alKendel et al Gill withdrawalGill withdrawal Seonsory -> motor pretty muchSeonsory -> motor pretty much Less transmitter released into synapses!Less transmitter released into synapses! Decrease in Ca currentDecrease in Ca current Similar results in catsSimilar results in cats Because of its generality, habituation is often Because of its generality, habituation is often

thought of as the universal learning paradigmthought of as the universal learning paradigm