Fixed Action Pattern (FAP) is a series or sequence of acts that occur behaviorally in animals. it is also known as instinctive behaviour as it is determined by gene of an organism and exhibited automatically without having any prior experience.

1. Presented by –
Jahnabi Silponia
MSc 3rd Sem
Kumaun University

2.  Introduction
 Characteristics of FAP
 Components-
1) Taxes
2) Kinesis
3) Reflexes
4) Instincts
 Releasers
 References

3.  A fix action pattern is a series or sequence of acts
that occur behaviorally in animals. The sequence is
unchangeable and will be carried out to completion
once started, regardless of changes in the original
stimulus.
 FAP is also known as instinctive behavior because
it is determined by gene of an organism.

4.  It is found to be same in all members of a species. E.g. Egg
rolling behavior in graylag goose
 The behavior is performed correctly the 1st time without prior
experience.
 It is stimulated by a sign stimulus.
 Once started, run to completion with no further input

5.  An automatic movement made by an animal towards
or away from a stimulus.
 A taxis is said to be positive if the animal heads
directly towards the stimulus, negative if away from it.
Types-
1) Phototaxis
2) Chemotaxis
3) Geotaxis

6. 1) Phototaxis – movement toward or away from light.
It is of 2 types- positive and negative phototaxis
Positive if moves towards a light.
E.g. flight of moth towards a light.
Negative if moves away from light.
E.g. Cockroach running for cover
when lights are turned on.
2) Chemotaxis – It is the
movement of an organism in
response to a chemical stimulus.
It is of two types- positive and
negative Chemotaxis.
Positive if the movement is
toward a higher concentration of
the chemical and negative if the
movement is in opposite
direction.

7. 3. Geotaxis- movement toward or away from gravity.
a) Positive if movement is toward gravity.
E.g.- plant root
b) Negative if movement is away from gravity.
E.g.- tree growing taller

8.  Kinesis is a response to an environmental
condition by changing the rate at which an
activity is performed.
 It is of two types
1) Orthokinesis – Here a relationship exists
between the speed of locomotion and the
intensity of stimulation.
2) Klinokinesis- It deals with the undirected
changes in the turning from side to side.
E.g. Humidity kinesis in wood louse

9.  A reflex is an automatic response of part of the body to a stimulus.
The response is inborn.
 They are rapid acts that require no conscious control.
Eg. The withdrawl reflex of the hand from a hot stove occurs before
we are consciously aware of the temperature.
 Reflexes can be unconditioned and conditioned.

10.  Any behaviour is instinctive
if it is performed without
being based upon prior
experience.
 Example- newly hatched sea
turtles automatically move
toward the ocean.
 Shaking water from wet fur
in dog.

11.  Releasers, also called sign stimuli, are those stimuli that are
capable of releasing FAP of those animal.
 Konrad Lorenz (1972) was the first biologist to identify sign
stimuli.
Types of releasers
It is of 3 types-
1. Visual releasers-
They are morphological
characters that are
displayed to elicit
response.
E.g. Peacock dances and
displays its beautiful
feathers to attract Peahen.

12. 2. Auditory releasers-
Song birds such as Cuckoo,
nightingales establish their
territory and attract the female
for mating by singing, often for
several days.
3. Chemical releasers-
it is released in the
atmosphere & act as releasers
on the individual of same or
other species.
It can be sex pheromone, trail
pheromone etc.

13. 1. Arora M.P., Animal behaviour
2. www.khanacademy.org

14. Thank you