Learning Is One of the Mechanisms by Which an Animal

question 202

Essay

Learning is one of the mechanisms by which an animal can adapt its behavior to its environment. For example, you learned in Chapter 7, Learning and Conditioning, that classical conditioning allows animals to prepare for biologically important events. In Chapter 3, Genes, Evolution, and Environment, you learned about how natural selection is another mechanism of adaptation. Compare and contrast learning and natural selection as mechanisms of adaptation. Include in your answer a specific example of how both mechanisms might affect an organism's behavior.

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Definitions:

Self-actualizing

The process of realizing one's full potential, as per Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, emphasizing creativity, growth, and personal development.

Maslow

An American psychologist who created the hierarchy of needs, a theory in psychology concerning human motivation based on prioritized needs.

Spontaneous

Occurring without apparent external cause; impromptu or unplanned.

Reproductive Payoffs

Benefits or advantages obtained through reproducing, often in the context of evolutionary biology, referring to the success of passing genes to the next generation.