Animal Communication Methods: Bonding and Imprinting

Animal Communication Methods: Bonding and Imprinting Sarah O’Malley Bonding Imprinting Introduction Imprinting and bonding are important biological processes that aid in the survival of offspring; offspring require parental bonding to survive. These processes allow the offspring to learn skills and behaviours needed for survival, as well as the knowledge of their own species in order to successfully breed in the future. The importance of bonding and breeding differs in different species. Bonding can be important in obtaining food, communicating, survival, and mating. The following includes the mechanisms of imprinting and bonding with differences and similarities between the two. Information regarding Konrad Lorenz and his work is included. A mention of communication and its role in reducing conflict has also been included. Imprinting Imprinting is a classical biological process in birds such as geese and ducks. New-born chicks become attached to the first visible moving object they see. Imprinting is mostly non-species-specific but imprinting between same species does occur; filial imprinting (between offspring and its parent) is more common is precocial animals than in altricial animals as precocial animals are mobile and alert when they are born and therefore have the ability to imprint early. Certain behaviours are affected by imprinting more than other behaviours. There is a significant sensitive period where imprinting takes effect (1). For ducks, this is between 4-48 hours after they have hatched. A duckling will pretty much follow whatever is moving once it has hatched and will eventually learn what it is following and imprint on it. An Austrian named Konrad Zacharias Lorenz was a zoologist, ethologist, and ornithologist (bird behaviour), who studied instinctive behaviour in animals, particularly greylag g eese and the principle of imprinting. These studies led to Lorenz, Niko Tinbergen, and Karl von Frisch winning a Nobel Prize for Medicine. He is regarded as one of the principal founders of ethology. The innate release mechanism, a main concept regarding imprinting, where organisms are genetically predisposed to be responsive to certain stimuli become fixed and imprint on the parents (2). Senses are important for imprinting; as ducks are precocial they imprint on whoever they see within a certain timeframe (4-48hrs) using their sight. As puppies and kittens do not open their eyes for a little over a week after birth, they take a little longer to imprint. Mammals, who are altricial use their smell, sight, and sound to imprint on their mothers, though primates are born with brains that still need to fully develop and so imprinting takes longer. Imprinting is a survival instinct as it ensures the safety and protection for the vulnerable new-born; it prevents the young from predation, a s its mother is there to protect it. It allows the offspring to learn skills for survival and behavioural characteristics from its mother. Imprinting is different to bonding as there is a specific period where imprinting occurs. Lorenz’s theory involved an experiment whereby chicks where hatched in an incubator and then handled by humans. They were placed back with their mother who accepted the goslings but the goslings did not accept her. They followed the human they first saw. Lorenz’s theory argued that imprinting is irreversible and takes place at a certain stage (as mentioned above). It included his theory of imprinting being innate but recognizing the moving object was learnt. Filial imprinting lasts until the offspring becomes adults. Socialization is important and imprinting experiences will have a long-term effect on social behaviour; isolating a puppy will result in the pup displaying abnormal social behaviour such as anxiety. Imprinting has a significant eff ect on sexual preferences, which should be a factor to consider in captivity or rehabilitation centres. Sexual imprinting is where characteristics learnt form siblings will influence their mating preferences in adulthood. This process depends on the species; there could be a period in between filial imprinting and sexual imprinting for some species, whereas for other species it can occur simultaneously (geese). E.g., if a duckling was to imprint on a chicken and considered the hen’s chicks its siblings, it is likely to sexually imprint on chickens in adulthood as it is attracted to the characteristics of the species it imprinted on and believes it to be the same species. The appearance of the object or animal the offspring imprints on will teach them to recognise what future mates should look like (providing they imprint on the correct animal) (3). Imprinting allows the parent to raise her young much easier, as the offspring imprints on her early and will trust her and follo w her wherever she goes, which is vital when it comes to predation. Bonding Bonding is a biological process where animals of same species (pair bonding) and sometimes, different species connect on a social level. This can occur at different stages in their lives. Reasons for bonding include pair bonding, which results in mating and reproduction in mated pairs, and social bonding that is vital in species that form packs or hierarchies etc. Wolves form social bonds within the same pack, which enables them to hunt and live in a social group. For wolves, bonding is crucial as they do everything together, from hunting to defending territory and raising young. Parent-offspring bonding is beneficial for both parents and offspring as the offspring have a greater chance of survival with the protection from its parent(s), and the parent(s), can ensure their genes will be passed on and their offspring makes it to adulthood. Their need to nurse their young originates from the release of a hormone called oxytocin, which influences motherly behaviour, breeding animals wit h this hormone absent results in mothers leaving their offspring earlier than mothers with that hormone. Sibling recognition prevents inbreeding from occurring as well as for cooperating. With mating pairs, bonding behaviours include vocalizations; calls and sounds, movements; dancing, body contact (tactile), and postures, as well as offering gifts. Senses are just as vital in bonding as they are in imprinting. Visual, tactile, vocal, and auditory are important factors in mating pairs and are often expressed in rituals. Every meeting between mating pairs, the rituals are repeated to reinforce the bond. Pairs may bond for certain parts of a breeding season; short term or long term, and other species may mate for life (monogamy) (4), such as swans and geese. Bonding in mating pairs, allows for recognition of the individual’s mate within a crowd (nest site e.g.). It allows the animal to imprint the image of its mate in its head. Bonding requires effort, which confirms their comm itment. It provides a better chance of survival for their offspring as both parents are present for protection and for providing food. The pair does not need to go through the long process of selecting a mate during breeding season. Parent-offspring bonding is not only evident in birds but in other species such as elephants; within their group of family that contains elephants of a range of ages, greet and maintain bonding by tactile – touching and often curling their trunks around the other’s, vocalization communication, and scent. Dominance is expressed through play at an early age, whereby young elephants, both male and female but progresses in males as they get older, charge at each other and wrestle with their trunks. 30 minutes after an elephant is born, it is able to stand up and follow its mother. Females will form close bonds with their mother and will stay by their side for life, which allows the mother to teach her offspring skills needed for survival. Males tend to leave at around 12-15 years where they may temporarily join other groups for mating and feeding. Bonding in elephants, where they stay together for life (females), increases their chances of survival as they form large herds, which makes it more difficult for predation to occur. An example of interspecies relationships is the bond between a lion, tiger, and bear (diagram 2 ^), who were abused in the hands of a drug dealer, bonded for comfort and now consider themselves brothers. They are the only known lion, tiger, and bear to live together in the world; in the wild, they would never meet. Their early experiences as young cubs and the fact that they have never been separated since, strengthened their bonds (5). Differences Similarities Bonding and imprinting are both processes where animals socially connect and both aid in the survival of the animals. Bonding occurs for different reasons and at different stages in animals’ lives, whereas imprinting occurs early within a specific period where the offspring is sensitive to stimuli. Bonding occurs for many reasons including pair bonding, where for mated pairs, occurs later in life (when sexually mature), whereas imprinting is solely for survival in which the young requires from its parent. Bonding involves the bonding of two animals equally whereas imprinting is a one-way thing in which young imprint on the first thing it sees and perceives it to be its mother. Imprinting involves recognition and learned behaviour; as described previously in Lorenz’s theory; the offspring imprint on the first object they see and begin to learn and recognise that object. There is an in between, as the bonding process actually starts with imprinting in specific ways; impri nting takes place early for the purpose of survival but then bonding occurs to strengthen the connection. Parent-offspring bonding involves the bonding between the parent and its offspring and can sometimes involve the offspring imprinting on the parent. The parent releases oxytocin in response, which strengthens the bond (6). Difference between filial imprinting and sexual imprinting: Sexual imprinting involves the young imprinting on the characteristics of opposite-sex kin, whereas filial imprinting is where offspring imprint on its parent as an individual (7). How Communication Reduces Conflict Communication is crucial in reducing conflict, especially between territorial animals; vocalizations scent, and visual senses play an important role in alerting other animals when they have entered another’s territory, which will prevent fighting e.g. an animal will urinate on the edge of its territory to communicate to other animals that is their territory and should not be crossed. Establishing a hierarchy reduces the risk of intraspecies conflict; all the animals within the group are aware of their ranking and role they must play. This enables them to function as a working group, which will aid in their survival. Ritualized combat, a form of agonistic behaviour, is another method used to reduce conflict such as threatening displays to intimidate other animals, and usually prevents fighting from occurring. It is also beneficial in aiding survival as preventing conflict decreases the chance of being killed, losing food or territory, or losing a mate. Submission prevents fighting from occurring, as the submissive animal is likely to give in to the dominant one, which prevents conflict. Conclusion Bonding and imprinting occurs in many species and both ensure the survival of an animal. Lorenz’s work provided further information regarding the importance of imprinting, noting a specific period for it to take place and the possibilities of it going wrong (sexual imprinting on a different species). There are clear differences between bonding and imprinting, with purpose being one of the main ones. However, they are similar in terms of forming a social connection, both interspecies and intraspecies. The senses are a vital part of these connections as they help animals distinguish characteristics and recognise stimuli that influence imprinting/bonding. Bibliography (1) Sensitive Period Lorenz, K (1963). On Aggression. Austria: Methuen Publishing. Pg.258. (PDF version) (2) Konrad Lorenz Hayes, Brian J., [no date]. Konrad Lorenz biography. Ethology – Imprinting. http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/scientist/konrad_lorenz.html (3) Sexual Imprinting Irwin, D and Price, T. Sexual imprinting, learning and speciation. Heredity (1999) 82, 347–354; doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6885270 (4) Pair-Bonding Barash, D.; Lipton, J. (2001). The Myth of Monogamy: Fidelity and Infidelity in Animals and People. New York: Henry Holt and Company (5) Interspecies Bonding Broder Van Dyke, M. May 26th, 2014. BuzzFeed Animals. Lions, Tigers, and Bears. http://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/lion-tiger-and-bear-who-love-each-other#.ovl6jp5wL (6) Differences Similarities Thatcher, M. 24 November 2014. Understanding Animal Communication Systems. http://saltiecroc.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/understanding-animal-communication.html (7) Differences SparkNotes ©, 2015. Animal Behaviour: Learning. Imprinting. http://www.sparknotes.com/biology/animalbehavior/learning/section3.rhtml Diagrams: Diagram 1 – Konrad Lorenz Leen, N. July 7th 2008. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Three Pioneer Observers of Animal Behaviour. http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2008/07/three-pioneer-observers-of-animal-behaviour/ Diagram 2 – Bonding Shaikh, T. July 6th 2014. Animal Bonding. http://jugglu.com/adorable-animal-bonding-story-ever.php Diagram 3 – Agonistic Behaviour: Spider Hill, D E. 4 December 2009. Wikipedia. Zygoballus sexpunctatus male agonistic behaviour http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zygoballus_sexpunctatus_male_agonistic_behavior.png Diagram 4 – Pair-Bonding Ander, B L. December 12th 1014. Puffin Love. http://fineartamerica.com/featured/puffin-love-brent-ander.html

The Life of Serial Killer, Theodore Robert Bundy Essay -- Expository E

   On a chilly afternoon in late 1977, a young, newly-wed woman of 26 was dropped off at her Volkswagen Beetle by her sister-in-law. Her name was Gini McNair. She waved goodbye to her companion, unlocked the driver's door, and stepped into her vehicle. Sitting at the wheel, with the key in the ignition, she glanced around the deserted Boulder Canyon Road located outside of Boulder, Colorado. While waiting for her dusty red Volkswagen to warm up, she saw another one, light blue, heading down Sugarloaf Road towards her. When she glanced at the driver as he went past, he took the opportunity to look her over as well. With piercing eyes, Ted Bundy quickly examined Gini as he drove by her. When his eye caught hers, Gini immediately felt like she had just been delivered a swift punch in the stomach. He turned around at the bottom of Sugarloaf Road and drove over to where she was parked. As he walked over to her window, she rolled it down. He leaned in close and asked, "Are you having car trou ble?" "No." she replied quickly. "Oh...well I am!" he retorted back in an alarming loud voice. She looked at him with surprise, she knew she had to get away. "Well, I'm sorry, but I don't really know anything about cars. I don't think that I would be able to help you." He got suddenly angry and said, "Well, maybe you COULD!" She told him again that she could not and rolled her window up and drove away. Gini didn't tell many people the story of that day, she figured that it was just one of those weird things that happen sometimes. One night, a few months later, she and her husband were watching the news and a story about Ted Bundy came on. While the young couple watched for a few minutes with a mixture of disgust and interest, it showed a p... ....html    Dobson, J. (1995). Fatal addiction. Pure Intimacy.org Retrieved March 12, 2003, from http://www.pureintimacy.org/online1/bundy.html    Larsen, R. W. (1980). Bundy: the deliberate stranger. Prentice-Hall, Inc.    Sands, R. Ted Bundy. Retrieved March 7, 2003, from http://web.ukonline.co.uk/ruth.buddell/bundy.htm    Summers, C. Ted Bundy. BBC - Crime Case Closed. Retrieved March 7, 2003, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/print/crime/caseclosed/tedbundy1.shtml    Ted Bundy: 10 years later. Angelfire.lycos.com. (1999) Retrieved March 12, 2003, from http://www.angelfire.com/oh/yodaspage/news36.html    Ted Bundy - A serial killer. Ted Bundy. Retrieved March 11, 2003, from http://www.auschwitz.dk/mcbundy.htm    Ted Bundy: psychiatric testimony. Serial Murder: Through the Looking Glass. Retrieved March 12, 2003, from http://serial- killers.virtualave.net/bundy2.htm

Diseases and Conditions of the Endocrine System Essay

Assignment: For each scenario that follows, explain how and why you would schedule an appointment or suggest a referral based on the patient’s reported symptoms. Be sure to first review the â€Å"Guidelines for Patient-Screening Exercises† found on page iii in the Introduction section of your Workbook. 1. A male patient calls for an appointment. He reports experiencing the sudden onset of excessive thirst and urination. He says that he is thirsty all the time and cannot seem to get enough to drink. How do you respond to this phone call? I would first ask the patient if he has been checked for diabetes or if he is a diabetic. The second step I would take would be to schedule him in an appointment for that day, this could be a serious condition related to Diabetes Insipidus which means he will need to get immediate medical attention. 2. A female patient calls the office and says she thinks she has swelling in her neck and is beginning to experience difficulty swallowing. How do you respond to this phone call? I would ask the patient if she had a sore throat or had recently gotten over a cold or respiratory infection. I would also ask her if she is having an allergy to something that she might be allergic to, if she sounds short of breath over the phone I would suggest that she go into the emergency room if we could not get her in that same day to see the physician. 3. An individual calls the office stating he is experiencing periods of rapid heartbeat and palpitations, insomnia, nervousness, and excitability. He states that despite excessive appetite and food ingestion, he is losing weight. How do you respond to this call? I would ask the patient if they have checked their blood pressure and pulse, and if they have a heart condition, high blood pressure or anxiety. I would then request that this patient go through the emergency room immediately to be monitored because of the burst of rapid heartbeats and heart palpitations, these could be signs of high blood pressure (hypertension), a high anxiety attack, or heart attack. 4. A woman calls the office stating that her husband, who has been diagnosed with diabetes, is experiencing excessive thirst, nausea, drowsiness, and abdominal pain. She just noticed a fruity odor on his breath. She wants to know what to do. How do you respond to this call? I would place the caller on hold while I got the physician on the phone, this could be a serious condition and the patient may need immediate medical attention or the physician may want to meet them at the emergency room for further testing. The patient should check their sugar levels and monitor them until their appointment time. 5. A patient calls the office saying she has started experiencing weight loss, excessive thirst, excessive hunger, and frequent urination. She also tells you her mother and aunt have diabetes. She says she just does not feel right. How do you respond to this call? After listening to this patient’s symptoms, and the family history of diabetes, this could be an indication of diabetes mellitus. I would then schedule in this patient the same day so that we can do a diagnostic evaluation and give her the proper treatment she needs, as well as instructions on how to control this illness.

Free Essays on Germany At Fault

Germany at Fault The Great War as historians call world war one, was it though? World war one claimed 37, 508, 686 casualties all because of Germany’s greed. When Germany signed the treaty of Versailles, they took full responsibility for their actions and causes during world war one. Germany was at fault for the world war due to corrupt political leaders, attack on France as well as Russia and use of chemical warfare. Germany was a strong and powerful nation due to its military and political leaders that drove them towards superiority. Germany had many leaders throughout world war one, such as Kaiser Wilhelm II who led Germany from 1888 through till1918. All of the German leaders believed that long battle of bloodshed lead nowhere, quick short battles lead to victory. Helmuth Von Moltke, was one of Germany’s important military leaders by convincing the recruits to accept his point of view on the Schlieffen plan. He also convinced Kaiser Wilhelm II to go forth with the Schlieffen plan, which he had failed to execute by giving false orders. One of Helmuth Von Moltke’s famous slogans were â€Å"Sieg zum Großen Krieg†Ã‚ ¹, which meant Victory to Great War. Unfortunately Germany lost the war they pursued. Germany was desperate in the war that they had to resort to chemical warfare, using chlorine gas as well as mustard gas. Chemical warfare was opposed by both alliances during the war. The German army was the first to use â€Å"chlorine gas† against the French military and Algerian troops defending the north of Ypres. In April of 1915, the German army launched the chlorine gas over to the allied front line, the French as well as the Algerian troops fled in terror. This left a seven-kilometer. Further on in 1917 the Germans again were ready to show the allies something new and remarkable. The German army had been provided with â€Å"mustard gas†, this was the most effective chemical weapon of world war one. The mustard gas was almo... Free Essays on Germany At Fault Free Essays on Germany At Fault Germany at Fault The Great War as historians call world war one, was it though? World war one claimed 37, 508, 686 casualties all because of Germany’s greed. When Germany signed the treaty of Versailles, they took full responsibility for their actions and causes during world war one. Germany was at fault for the world war due to corrupt political leaders, attack on France as well as Russia and use of chemical warfare. Germany was a strong and powerful nation due to its military and political leaders that drove them towards superiority. Germany had many leaders throughout world war one, such as Kaiser Wilhelm II who led Germany from 1888 through till1918. All of the German leaders believed that long battle of bloodshed lead nowhere, quick short battles lead to victory. Helmuth Von Moltke, was one of Germany’s important military leaders by convincing the recruits to accept his point of view on the Schlieffen plan. He also convinced Kaiser Wilhelm II to go forth with the Schlieffen plan, which he had failed to execute by giving false orders. One of Helmuth Von Moltke’s famous slogans were â€Å"Sieg zum Großen Krieg†Ã‚ ¹, which meant Victory to Great War. Unfortunately Germany lost the war they pursued. Germany was desperate in the war that they had to resort to chemical warfare, using chlorine gas as well as mustard gas. Chemical warfare was opposed by both alliances during the war. The German army was the first to use â€Å"chlorine gas† against the French military and Algerian troops defending the north of Ypres. In April of 1915, the German army launched the chlorine gas over to the allied front line, the French as well as the Algerian troops fled in terror. This left a seven-kilometer. Further on in 1917 the Germans again were ready to show the allies something new and remarkable. The German army had been provided with â€Å"mustard gas†, this was the most effective chemical weapon of world war one. The mustard gas was almo...

Meet vs. See - Learn the difference [English Grammar Lesson]

Meet vs. See - Learn the difference [English Grammar Lesson] Quick answer: Use MEET for the first time you see someone or when you are seeing them because you have plans or an appointment. Use SEE for all other situations. Consider this scenario: Sandra and I grew up together, but I hadn’t seen her in years. So, when she moved back to Boston, I suggested we get coffee and catch up. We met at my favorite cafà ©, and it was so nice to see each other! After hours of talking, we decided to get together again for a barbecueat her new house so I could meet her kids. Meet and See are two words that are often swapped, though not always correctly. They both can be used for spending time together, so it’s tricky to use the correct one. Let’s break down the paragraph above to look at how these words should be used. MEET is used to talk about the first time you see someone. After hours of talking, we decided to get together again for a barbecueat her new house so I could meet her kids. In the sentence above, the speaker has never met Sandra’s kids before, so this will be the first time she lays eyes on them. But, and this is where it gets confusing, MEET can be used when you make an appointment, have plans, or schedule something. So, when she moved back to Boston, I suggested we get coffee and catch up. We met at my favorite cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Other examples are: Let’s meet at 3 p.m. on Friday to discuss the project. The managers will meet at noon on the first Tuesday of the month to review progress. *The word meeting, so often used in business, comes from this second of use of meet, because a meeting is essentially a scheduled plan or appointment. SEE is used for spending time with someone when it is not the first time. Sandra and I grew up together, but I hadn’t seen her in years. †¦and it was so nice to see each other!

Risk and return Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Risk and return - Essay Example Risk and return are two inversely correlated concepts. A person or a corporation that is risk adverse will not take chances. Lower risk lead to lower returns and higher risk leads to higher returns. The general rule of higher risk leading to higher returns is not set in stone. One of the problems with higher risk is that it can lead to financial catastrophes. For example imagine a person that invests in a penny stock. Penny stocks are considered the most risky of all types of investments. The person decided to invest in penny stock X because he wanted the possibility of earning a higher return. Due to the risk associated with penny stocks the stock ended up defaulting due to the fact that the company went out of business. In this particular case instead of obtaining a higher return the investor ended up losing all his money. 2. Return on investment can be defined as a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency or to compare the efficiency of a number of different investments (Investopedia, 2011). The formula to calculate return on investment is (Gain from investment –cost of investment) / cost of investment. Companies are always looking to maximize their return on investment. Corporations able to obtain above normal returns on investment are more profitable than the competition. Return on investment can be manipulated when determining projects by changing the expected return of the company. For example a company may establish new financial policy of only accepting projects that achieve a return on investment of 10%. ... The firm lost approximately $15,000 from this project. To me this experienced proved that higher risk can lead to operating losses. 4. The concept of higher risk leading to higher profits is real and in my personal experience it has paid off dividend. When I took my first finance course the professor gave the class a stock market simulation project. I like the project so much that I decided to turn the project into a reality. I opened up an investment account with Scottrade. I invested $2000 to build up a portfolio of stocks. The portfolio was composed of about six stocks including several blue chip stocks and a penny stock. The penny stock was VTSS. I invested about $350 in the VTSS penny stock. After two months the penny stock when up from $0.35 to over $1.50 cents. I made over $1000 dollars from the purchase of the stock. When the class ended I decided to cash out my portfolio. I utilized the earnings from my portfolio to purchase a 1994 Eclipse automobile for my sister. 5. In the corporate world companies have to take risk in order to obtain a return. A risk that a lot of multinational companies are faced with is the decision to penetrate new marketplaces. There are regions in the world that are susceptible to huge risk such as the Middle East. In the Middle East the risks associated with terrorism are very high especially for American companies. Taking chances is a part of the business process. Even when a company has a successful product line the constant changes in the marketplace forces companies to take risk such as introducing new products into the marketplace 6. People take risk in their regular everyday life without even realizing they are doing it. For example a person

American War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American War - Essay Example The people of South Korea were under extreme scrutiny by North Korea with numerous cases of violations of human rights. The United States used the Just War Theory to explain their reason for entering the conflict. The United States intervened in order to prevent the flow of Communism (that was commonly associated with human oppression) along with the defense of South Korea and their people. Due to the United States’ intervention, the people of South Korea experienced a decrease in human rights violations and their quality of life increased. The United States also exemplified their theory of humane treatment with their actions towards prisoners of war by treating them fairly. However, some critics believe that the United States used the Just War Theory to mask the main reason why they became involved: to grow as an imperialist power. This may be true but fortunately, the efforts of the United States did positively affect the people of South