Educator

Basics of Behavior

• Behavior is defined as the collective responses of an animal to its environment. Some behaviors are inherited, while others are learned.

• Biologists study the mechanics of behavior—what triggers a response and what mechanisms underlie it—as well as the evolutionary significance of the behavior.

• In this Lesson, we’ll look at different types of behavior and their causes. We’ll also examine how behaviors are learned, and how we can tell whether a behavior is inherited. Inherited behaviors can be traced back to particular genes, and we’ll investigate the link between molecular genetics and behavior.

• Finally, we’ll look at the evolution of behavior and how natural selection may influence which behaviors are inherited and which ones are learned.