CLEP CLEP Biology Animal Behavior and Reproduction

Question 1

A fixed action pattern (FAP) is best described as:

Accepted Answer

An innate stereotyped behavior triggered by a specific sign stimulus

Answer

Fixed action patterns are genetically programmed, invariant behavioral sequences triggered by specific stimuli that run to completion once initiated, regardless of outcome.

Question 2

The waggle dance of honeybees communicates which information to the colony?

Accepted Answer

Direction and distance to a food source

Answer

The waggle dance performed by scout bees encodes the direction relative to the sun and distance to food sources through dance angle and duration, respectively.

Question 3

Imprinting is a form of learning that differs from other learning because it:

Accepted Answer

Occurs during a critical period and is largely irreversible

Answer

Imprinting occurs during a sensitive critical period in early development and creates lasting behavioral attachments, as demonstrated by Lorenz's goslings following him as their parent.

Question 4

Altruistic behavior in animals is best explained by which evolutionary concept?

Accepted Answer

Kin selection increasing an individual's inclusive fitness

Answer

Kin selection explains altruism because assisting relatives who share copies of genes can increase an individual's inclusive fitness even when the behavior is personally costly.

Question 5

Which type of learning involves forming an association between a neutral stimulus and a biologically meaningful stimulus?

Accepted Answer

Classical conditioning

Answer

Classical conditioning, demonstrated by Pavlov's experiments, involves pairing a neutral stimulus with a significant stimulus until the neutral stimulus alone elicits the conditioned response.

CLEP Practice Test

CLEP Practice Test

CLEP CLEP Biology Animal Behavior and Reproduction