Instinctive Behavior

Instinctive behavior is a type of behavior that is genetically programmed in an organism. These behaviors are not learned or taught, but are instead inherited and performed without prior experience. Instinctive behaviors are essential for the survival of a species and are often exhibited in response to specific stimuli in the environment.

Key Concepts

Genetic Programming: Instinctive behaviors are genetically programmed in an organism's DNA.
Unlearned Behaviors: Instinctive behaviors are not learned or taught, but are performed without prior experience.
Survival and Reproduction: Instinctive behaviors are critical for the survival and reproduction of a species.
Environmental Stimuli: Instinctive behaviors are often triggered by specific stimuli in the environment.

Examples of Instinctive Behaviors

Some common examples of instinctive behaviors in animals include:

Migration in birds
Nesting behavior in birds and mammals
Hunting and foraging in predators
Mating and courtship rituals
Defense mechanisms such as fight or flight responses

Study Guide

To study instinctive behavior, consider the following questions:

What is instinctive behavior and how is it different from learned behavior?
How do instinctive behaviors contribute to the survival of a species?
What are some examples of instinctive behaviors in different animals?
How do environmental stimuli trigger instinctive behaviors?
What role does genetic programming play in instinctive behavior?

By understanding instinctive behavior, we gain insight into the innate characteristics and survival strategies of living organisms.

◂Science Worksheets and Study Guides Second Grade. What is science?

Vocabulary/Answer key

What is science?

The resources above cover the following skills:

LIFE SCIENCE

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Obtain information from literature and other media to illustrate that there are many different kinds of living things and that they exist in different places on land and in water (e.g., woodland, tundra, desert, rainforest, ocean, river).

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE

Earth’s Systems

Make observations from media to obtain information about Earth’s events that happen over a short period of time (e.g., tornados, volcanic explosions, earthquakes) or over a time period longer than one can observe (e.g., erosion of rocks, melting of glaciers).

Collect and evaluate data to identify water found on Earth and determine whether it is a solid or a liquid (e.g., glaciers as solid forms of water; oceans, lakes, rivers, streams as liquid forms of water).