Experimental dissociation of goal and function

Posted by Eric Charles-2 on
URL: http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/Experimental-dissociation-of-goal-and-function-tp7598199.html

This is a great study, and relevant to one of the ongoing FRIAM discussions.

Recall, the first assertion is that "goal" of a given behavior and the (evolutionary) "function" of the behavior differentiate, when investigated experimentally. You determine the goal of a behavior by manipulating the environment and seeing how the animal-in-question responds. You determine the (evolutionary) function of the of the behavior by manipulating the environment and seeing how it affects the reproductive outcomes (or some reasonable proxy thereof). 

There is then a second assertion, which is that the animals striving for the given goal achieve the identified function because various properties of the environment happen to co-occur. For example, having the goal to remove broken egg shells from around the nest, serves the function of reducing predation upon babies, because the gull happens to live in a world where predators are attracted to areas with shiney white objects near them. 

With all that in mind, check out this great study: 

“None of the 683 painted “eye-cows” were killed by ambush predators during the four-year study, while 15 (of 835) unpainted and 4 (of 543) cross-painted cattle were killed.”   

https://theconversation.com/lions-are-less-likely-to-attack-cattle-with-eyes-painted-on-their-backsides-142488

 

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