This is concerning Ecology.
Question:
You turn on a light and observe cockroaches scurrying to dark hiding places. What have you observed?
A. taxis
B. learned behavior
C. migration
D. visual communication
E. operant conditioning
I have already crossed out migration; however, I'm not sure what else to eliminate.
Thanks.
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key word "taxis" to get this source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxis
In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
Thanks.. but I had gotten the answer a few minutes of me asking the question.
I think you go to my school Matt. I had that exact question on my AP Bio test.
To answer this question, we need to understand the concept and behavior being observed. In this case, we are observing cockroaches moving to dark hiding places when a light is turned on.
Now, let's break down the answer choices and eliminate options that do not fit the observed behavior:
A. Taxis: Taxis refers to the movement of an organism toward or away from a stimulus. In this case, the cockroaches are moving away from the stimulus (light). So, taxis seems like a plausible answer.
B. Learned behavior: Learned behavior refers to a change in behavior that is acquired through experience or modified by the environment. Although the behavior of the cockroaches may have adaptive aspects, we do not have enough information to determine if it is solely based on learned behavior. Hence, we cannot confidently choose this option at this stage.
C. Migration: You have already correctly eliminated this option, as migration refers to the regular movement of individuals or populations between different habitats.
D. Visual communication: Visual communication is the use of visual signals for communication between individuals of the same species. While some animals use visual signals to communicate, the observed behavior in the question (cockroaches hiding) does not seem to involve visual communication.
E. Operant conditioning: Operant conditioning is a type of learning that involves reinforcing or punishing certain behaviors to achieve desired outcomes. While it is possible that the cockroaches have learned to associate the light with an aversive stimulus and consequently move away, the behavior seems to occur instinctually rather than being conditioned through reinforcement. Therefore, we can eliminate this option as well.
Based on the above analysis, the most suitable answer for the observed behavior of cockroaches scurrying to dark hiding places when a light is turned on is A. taxis.
Remember, when answering ecology questions or any other type of question, it is important to carefully read and analyze the information provided, eliminate options that do not fit, and consider the most plausible answer based on your knowledge of the subject.