Animal Behavioral Ecology MCQS January 8, 2026April 6, 2024 by u930973931_answers 50 min Score: 0 Attempted: 0/50 Subscribe 1. What is behavioral ecology? (A) The study of animals' physical characteristics (B) The study of animals' genetics (C) The study of animals' internal physiology (D) The study of animals' behavior in their natural environment 2. Which of the following is NOT a component of animal behavior? (A) Genetics (B) Reproduction (C) Foraging (D) Communication 3. What does the term “ethology” refer to? (A) The study of animal behavior in controlled laboratory settings (B) The study of animals' physical adaptations (C) The study of animals' genetic makeup (D) The study of animal behavior in natural environments 4. What is the primary function of animal communication? (A) To attract mates (B) All of the above (C) To establish social hierarchies (D) To defend territory 5. What is the term for a behavior that increases the fitness of both the individual performing it and the recipient? (A) Altruism (B) Selfish behavior (C) Aggression (D) Mutualism 6. Which of the following is an example of innate behavior? (A) Birdsong learning (B) Human language development (C) Tool use in primates (D) Migratory behavior in birds 7. What is the primary purpose of territorial behavior in animals? (A) To attract mates (B) To establish social bonds (C) To defend resources (D) To avoid predation 8. Which of the following is NOT a factor that influences animal mating systems? (A) Resource availability (B) Habitat complexity (C) Genetic diversity (D) Predation pressure 9. What is the term for a behavior that decreases the fitness of the individual performing it but increases the fitness of the recipient? (A) Cooperation (B) Selfish behavior (C) Altruism (D) Aggression 10. What is the primary function of courtship behavior in animals? (A) To attract mates (B) To mark territory (C) To establish dominance (D) To defend against predators 11. Which of the following is an example of a fixed action pattern? (A) Birdsong learning (B) Migration in whales (C) Nest building in birds (D) Tool use in primates 12. What is the term for a behavior learned through observation and imitation? (A) Innate behavior (B) Social learning (C) Imprinting (D) Instinctual behavior 13. What is the primary purpose of dominance hierarchies in animal groups? (A) To allocate resources efficiently (B) To establish mating rights (C) To avoid conflicts (D) To increase predation success 14. Which of the following is NOT a type of animal communication? (A) Chemical (B) Auditory (C) Visual (D) Genetic 15. What is the term for the process by which animals become less responsive to a repeated stimulus? (A) Imprinting (B) Conditioning (C) Habituation (D) Social learning 16. Which of the following is an example of a circadian rhythm? (A) Hibernation in bears (B) Migratory behavior in birds (C) Social hierarchies in primates (D) Nocturnal activity in owls 17. What is the primary function of agonistic behavior in animals? (A) To establish dominance (B) To attract mates (C) To communicate danger (D) To build nests 18. Which of the following is an example of a learned behavior? (A) Migratory behavior in birds (B) Nest building in birds (C) Migration in salmon (D) Courtship displays 19. What is the term for a behavior that benefits the individual performing it but decreases the fitness of the recipient? (A) Altruism (B) Aggression (C) Cooperation (D) Selfish behavior 20. Which of the following is an example of animal aggression? (A) Courtship displays (B) Agonistic behavior (C) Migratory behavior (D) Tool use 21. What is the primary purpose of dominance hierarchies in animal groups? (A) To establish mating rights (B) To allocate resources efficiently (C) To avoid conflicts (D) To increase predation success 22. Which of the following is NOT a type of animal communication? (A) Chemical (B) Auditory (C) Genetic (D) Visual 23. What is the term for the process by which animals become less responsive to a stimulus after repeated exposure? (A) Social learning (B) Conditioning (C) Imprinting (D) Habituation 24. Which is an example of a circadian rhythm? (A) Hibernation in bears (B) Nocturnal activity in owls (C) Migratory behavior in birds (D) Social hierarchies in primates 25. What is the primary function of agonistic behavior in animals? (A) To attract mates (B) To build nests (C) To communicate danger (D) To establish dominance 26. Which of the following is an example of a learned behavior? (A) Migratory behavior in birds (B) Nest building in birds (C) Migration in salmon (D) Courtship displays 27. What is the term for a behavior that benefits the performer but decreases the recipient’s fitness? (A) Altruism (B) Selfish behavior (C) Cooperation (D) Aggression 28. Which of the following is an example of animal aggression? (A) Courtship displays (B) Agonistic behavior (C) Migratory behavior (D) Tool use 29. What is the primary function of animal communication? (A) All of the above (B) To defend territory (C) To establish social hierarchies (D) To attract mates 30. What is the term for a behavior that increases the fitness of both individuals involved? (A) Altruism (B) Selfish behavior (C) Mutualism (D) Aggression 31. What is the term for a behavior that decreases the performer’s fitness but increases the recipient’s? (A) Altruism (B) Selfish behavior (C) Cooperation (D) Aggression 32. What is the primary purpose of courtship behavior in animals? (A) To establish dominance (B) To mark territory (C) To attract mates (D) To defend against predators 33. What is the term for a behavior learned through observation and imitation? (A) Innate behavior (B) Social learning (C) Imprinting (D) Instinctual behavior 34. What is the primary purpose of territorial behavior in animals? (A) To attract mates (B) To establish social bonds (C) To defend resources (D) To avoid predation 35. Which is an example of a fixed action pattern? (A) Birdsong learning (B) Migration in whales (C) Nest building in birds (D) Tool use in primates 36. What is the term for a genetically programmed behavior that does not require learning? (A) Imprinted behavior (B) Learned behavior (C) Social behavior (D) Innate behavior 37. Which of the following is NOT a type of animal communication? (A) Chemical (B) Genetic (C) Visual (D) Auditory 38. What is the term for a behavior that benefits the performer but reduces the recipient’s fitness? (A) Altruism (B) Aggression (C) Cooperation (D) Selfish behavior 39. What is the term for reduced responsiveness to a repeated stimulus? (A) Conditioning (B) Habituation (C) Imprinting (D) Social learning 40. What is the primary function of agonistic behavior in animals? (A) To attract mates (B) To establish dominance (C) To communicate danger (D) To build nests 41. Which of the following is an example of animal aggression? (A) Courtship displays (B) Tool use (C) Migratory behavior (D) Agonistic behavior 42. What is the primary purpose of dominance hierarchies in animal groups? (A) To establish mating rights (B) To avoid conflicts (C) To allocate resources efficiently (D) To increase predation success 43. Which of the following is NOT a type of animal communication? (A) Chemical (B) Genetic (C) Visual (D) Auditory 44. What is the term for the process of reduced responsiveness to repeated stimuli? (A) Imprinting (B) Conditioning (C) Habituation (D) Social learning 45. Which is an example of a circadian rhythm? (A) Nocturnal activity in owls (B) Migratory behavior in birds (C) Hibernation in bears (D) Social hierarchies in primates 46. What is the primary function of agonistic behavior in animals? (A) To attract mates (B) To establish dominance (C) To communicate danger (D) To build nests 47. Which of the following is an example of a learned behavior? (A) Migration in salmon (B) Nest building in birds (C) Courtship displays (D) Migratory behavior in birds 48. What is the term for a behavior that benefits the performer but decreases the recipient’s fitness? (A) Altruism (B) Selfish behavior (C) Cooperation (D) Aggression 49. Which of the following is an example of animal aggression? (A) Courtship displays (B) Agonistic behavior (C) Migratory behavior (D) Tool use 50. What is the primary function of animal communication? (A) To attract mates (B) All of the above (C) To establish social hierarchies (D) To defend territory