Question

Fred and Joe, two unrelated, mature male gorillas, encounter one another. Fred is courting a female. Fred grunts as Joe comes near. As Joe continues to advance, Fred begins drumming (pounding his chest) and bares his teeth. Joe then rolls on the ground on his back, gets up, and quickly leaves. This behavioral pattern is repeated several times during the mating season. Choose the most specific behavior described by this example:_____

a. fixed action pattern
b. learned behavior
c. territorial behavior
d. agonistic behavior
e. social behavior

Answer 1

Answer is Option "d"

Step-by-step explanation:

• Animals have confrontations just like humans do. And while they certainly don't fight over who gets the last bagel at the coffee shop, they do have conflict over food resources, partners, and territorial space
• These conflicts are often settled through agonistic behaviour, which comes from the Greek 'agon' for 'struggle.' This type of behaviour includes threatening displays and ritualistic fighting between the individuals involved in the confrontation
• Agonistic behaviour often looks violent but is rarely so. This is because if a true fight were to break out between the individuals, both would run a high risk of getting hurt. Therefore, it's safer for both parties to 'fight' in an exaggerated, ritualized way
• If they are involved in a conflict over a mate, a bite would quickly end the conflict for one of them. But if both snakes decide to chomp down, then everyone loses because both snakes will die
• Hence, the right answer is option d "Agonistic behaviour"