Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Behavior

Most of the time behavior is thought to be the visible result of an animal’s muscular activity, like when a predator chases its prey. However only some behaviors have muscular activity involved but it is less obvious. As when a toad uses muscles to force air from its lungs and shape the sounds in its throat, producing a noise. Nonmuscular activities are also considered behaviors. Another example occurs when an animal secretes a hormone that attracts a mate of the opposite sex. Learning can be considered a behavioral process. A popular example is scientist Pavlov found that if he rang a bell every time he put the meat powder in the dog's mouth, the dog eventually salivated upon hearing the bell alone. Behavior is simply everything an animal does and how it does it.

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