Chapter 7

Learning is a relative permanent change in behavior as a result of experience

Habituation is the reduction and then lack of response to a stimulus over time due to repeated occurence, such as loud noises

The synapse , which is located between 2 neurons is believed to play a big role in learning and memory

Rapid learning that occurs in young animals during a short period which gives long lasting effects Imprinting

Small protuberances on a dendrite that typically recieves synaptic inputs Dendritic spines

A behaviour becomes more likely due to the presentation of a stimulus, such as food Positive reinforcement

A behaviour becomes more likely due to the removal of a stimulus, such as pain Negative reinforcement

A behaviour becomes less likely due to the presentation of a stimulus Positive punishment

A behaviour becomes less likely due to the removal of a stimulus Negative punishment

Operant conditioning in other words Trial-and-error learning

A graphical presentation of progress, such as a decline in errors over time in a individual Learning curve

Learning by observing others Social learning

Individuals look out for other foraging individuals as a cue to the location of food Local enhancement

Knowledge obtained from others about the quality of a resource is called public information

Teaching is the active participation of an experienced individual in facilitating learning by a naive conspecific

Differences in behaviour that are transmitted between generations through social learning are called behavioural traditions

Differences in multiple traditions may be evidence of broader differences among populations, or animal culture

Cognition is broadly defined as the acquisition, storage, retrieval and use of information for decision-making.

Large brains, despite their costs, provide survival benefits through flexible behaviours that are learned. Cognitive buffer hypothesis

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