3.2.2.3.1 Limited functions of animal communication Quiz: AQA Psychology, Unit 6

The 20 questions

1. Which four functions are named in the specification for the limited communication of animals?

   • Recreation, food, sleep and reproduction
   • Survival, reproduction, territory and food
   • Survival, grammar, territory and tool use
   • Education, reproduction, language and entertainment

2. What does 'limited' mean when describing animal communication?

   • It can only be used when the animal is physically touching another of its kind
   • It is only used by animals with no nervous system, such as insects and worms
   • It is restricted to a small set of functions, such as warning of danger or attracting a mate
   • It can only be understood by animals of the same species, so no other species can use it

3. A male bird sings a loud song to mark his territory. Which function does this show?

   • Recreation, since the song is produced only for pleasure with no need to defend anything
   • Territory, since the song signals ownership of a space to rivals
   • Language, since the song shows the bird can plan and discuss future events with other birds
   • Education, since the song teaches young birds the grammar of their species' calls

4. A meerkat gives a short call when it sees a hawk. Which function does this serve?

   • Reproduction, since the call is used only to attract a mate in the breeding season
   • Food, since the call tells other meerkats where a hidden store of food has been buried
   • Territory, since the call marks the edges of the group's home range
   • Survival, since the call warns other meerkats of danger so they can escape

5. Which function is served by an animal's call to attract a mate?

   • Reproduction, since it helps the animal find a partner to produce offspring
   • Survival, since it warns other animals of a dangerous predator nearby
   • Food, since it helps the caller locate a source of seeds or insects
   • Territory, since it marks a boundary between the caller's space and rivals' space

6. Which feature best explains why animal communication is described as limited compared with human communication?

   • Animal signals are always made with sound, whereas human communication never uses sound
   • Animal signals are always produced by adults, whereas human communication is produced only by children
   • Animal signals usually relate to the immediate situation, not to past or future events
   • Animal signals are never used to warn others of danger, which is a key function of human language

7. Which statement about animal communication is most accurate?

   • Many animal signals serve a small set of biological needs, such as food, predators or breeding
   • Animal signals serve a wide range of needs, including planning holidays and debating politics
   • Animal signals are only used by a few species with very large brains, and no others
   • Animal signals are used mainly for entertainment, with survival and breeding playing little part

8. A pack of wolves howls together after a hunt. Which function is the howl most likely to serve?

   • Education, since the howl teaches young wolves to hunt without any direct demonstration
   • Recreation, since the howl is made only for enjoyment and connects to no biological need
   • Language, since the howl sends complex messages about the next day's hunting plans in daily life
   • Territory, since the howl can announce the pack's presence to rival packs over a wide area

9. Which is least expected from a typical animal signal?

   • Making a sound when a predator is detected close to the group's feeding site
   • Describing a rule of grammar to listeners who are not present at the time
   • Showing aggression toward a rival to defend a resource within the shared feeding area
   • Giving a visual display to attract a partner during the spring breeding season

10. Which evidence would suggest an animal signal serves a survival function?

    • Animals produce the signal only when alone, with no other animals within earshot
    • Animals produce the signal most often in the middle of the night, when no predators are around
    • Animals never change their behaviour in response to the signal, so it has no survival role
    • Animals move to safety more often when the signal is produced than when it is absent

11. Why is a limited set of functions described as 'limited' rather than 'absent' in animals?

    • Animals cannot communicate at all, so their signals are only reflex actions
    • Animals communicate about every human topic, but they cannot speak clearly
    • Animals communicate only with humans, so their signals are rarely used within their species
    • Animals still communicate, but only about a narrow range of biological needs

12. Which is the best example of an animal signal that serves the food function?

    • A monkey making a sharp call when an eagle flies overhead above the forest canopy
    • A bird singing a long song in spring to attract a mate and defend its nest
    • A pack of hyenas making a call that brings others to a kill they have found
    • A cat rubbing against a doorway to leave a scent marking the edge of its home

13. Which example best illustrates a survival function in animal communication?

    • A dog marking a lamp post with urine to show that the area belongs to it
    • A peacock spreading its tail feathers to impress a female during the courtship season
    • A gazelle stamping its foot to alert herd members to a lion before the herd runs
    • A cow lowing softly to a calf that has wandered a short distance from the herd

14. A researcher finds a species' calls are made only in response to food, mates or threats. What does this suggest?

    • Its communication is not used at all, since the calls are reflex responses rather than signals
    • Its communication is a complete language, since the calls have a grammar for combining them
    • Its communication is restricted to a small number of biologically important functions
    • Its communication is unlimited, since calls to food, mates and threats cover every topic

15. Which feature do animal signals typically share with human communication?

    • They can express abstract ideas such as justice, which allows animals to discuss fairness
    • They can convey information between members of the same species, helping them respond to the environment
    • They can describe events that happened long ago, so animals keep a shared history
    • They can be understood by every species on Earth, so animals share a universal language

16. A sea lion barks loudly at a rival male to keep it away from its group of females. Which function is shown?

    • Food, since the barking helps the male locate fish in the water near the breeding beach
    • Education, since the barking teaches the rival male how the group's calls should sound
    • Reproduction, since the barking helps the male control access to mates and protect breeding success
    • Recreation, since the barking is for play and connects to no biological function

17. Which phrase best describes the limited functions of animal communication?

    • Signals usually relate to art, music and poetry, which are the only topics animals share
    • Signals usually relate to survival, reproduction, territory or food, not to a wide range of human topics
    • Signals usually relate to mathematics and logic, which animals use to solve every problem
    • Signals usually relate to money, travel and work, which are the most common animal topics

18. Which observation most strongly supports the claim that animal calls are limited in what they can express?

    • Calls vary so much that every animal creates an entirely new message each time it speaks
    • Animals combine many calls in new ways to describe events that have not yet happened
    • Each call type corresponds to one situation, such as danger, food or mating, with no combinations
    • Animals use calls to describe events from the past, so the group shares a long history

19. A honeybee guard buzzes at intruders at the hive entrance. Which function does this serve?

    • Food, since the buzz tells other bees where nectar has been stored in the hive
    • Survival, since the buzz warns colony members of a threat to the hive
    • Education, since the buzz teaches young workers the grammar of the colony's signals
    • Reproduction, since the buzz attracts drones to the hive to mate with the queen

20. Which of these is the best example of a territory function?

    • A fox teaching its cubs how to stalk prey by demonstrating each step of the hunt
    • A fox sharing food with its cubs by bringing back a rabbit it has caught
    • A fox scent-marking the edges of its hunting area to warn other foxes away
    • A fox barking at night to attract a mate during the winter breeding season

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