Agonistic behaviour

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/agonistic-behaviour

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the underlying cause?Competition for limited resources, including food, shelter, mates, and territory
2. What is the key behavioural components?Threat, aggression, and submission, typically occurring in a sequential pattern
3. What is agonistic behavior in animals?It is any social interaction that involves fighting or the possibility of fighting, including threat displays, appeasement gestures, and retreats.
4. Why do animals use threat displays instead of fighting right away?Threat displays let animals show how strong they are and try to stop the fight before it hurts, saving energy and keeping everyone safe.

Agonistic behaviour: A broad category of social behaviours associated with conflict, including aggression, threats, and submission.