Konrad Lorenz Niko Tinbergen Karl von Frisch

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• Konrad Lorenz Niko Tinbergen Karl von
  Frisch

Nobel Laureates, 1973
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Instinctive Motor Behavior
Infant primates hold onto their mothers' hair so
as not fall off when she moves briskly.
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A cardinal feeds minnows, which rose to the
surface looking for food. During several weeks
the bird fed them, probably because his nest had
been destroyed.
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Etymology Of Instinct

• The term instinct derives from Indo European,
  Greek, and Latin roots meaning stick to goad,
  e.g., Latin stiguere -- to goad, excite, or
  incite instiguere -- to incite, to instigate.
  Greek stigma -- a pricked mark, a brand.

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Examples Of Instinctive Behavior

• Loggerhead turtles (found off east coast of
  Florida) Females deposit about 50-100 eggs in
  small holes they dig on sandy beach. Eggs hatch
  in approximately 50 days. After 3-5 days in the
  nest infant turtles crawl out, head for sea and
  swim out. Conclusion Loggerhead turtle has an
  instinct to go to sea.
• Imprinting Young goslings follow their mother
  (or Lorenz whichever comes first) wherever she
  moves. Conclusion Young goslings follow their
  mother instinctively (imprinting is an
  instinctive reaction).
• Crows that live in western part of North America
  migrate each fall from Alberta Canada to the
  south. The following spring they head north
  again. Conclusion Crows have an instinct to
  migrate.
• Pregnant female rats build nests of laboratory
  shavings. After giving birth to her litter,
  mother rat looks after her young, suckles them,
  retrieves them when they stray from nest, etc.
  Conclusions This is the result of a maternal
  instinct.

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CRITICAL PERIOD FOR FOLLOWING RESPONSE LORENZ
BASIC CONCEPTS

• Sign Stimuli (key to a lock)
• Fixed Action Pattern (Response of whole organism,
  not a reflex)
• Innate Releasing Mechanism (leads to consummatory
  event)
• Vacuum Activity (IRM released in absence of sign
  stimulus).

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Umwelt sensory world of the animal
Merkwelt our perception of the environment
(Von Uexkull) Example A pond is
perceived differently by a tadpole
fish paramecia hawk duck
fisherman
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Baby Herring Gull Begging for Food
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CRITICAL FEATURES OF SIGN STIMULI
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SIGN STIMULI(Stickleback)
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SUPERNORMAL STIMULUS
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SUPERNORMAL STIMULUS(Oystercatcher Egg)
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SUPERNORMAL STIMULI (?)
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FIXED ACTION PATTERN (Greylag Goose)
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Fixed Action Pattern (Human)
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Courtship BehaviorOf 3-spinedStickleback
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LORENZS HYDRAULIC MODEL OF INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR
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Innate Releasing Mechanism