Chapter 31, Problem 35A

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The effect on an animal’s ability to engage in competitive behaviors if he is no longer able to learn.

Introduction:

Throughout one's life, an animal learns from the surroundings and external stimuli. Every animal increases the ability to survive in harsh and adverse environmental conditions.

Explanation of Solution

If an animal loses the ability to learn, to engage in competitive behaviors, then the future is compromised. If other organisms are continuously evolving to survive, an organism that does not evolve and learn will fail to adapt. In such situations, it is likely to lose the competition of survival with the evolving species. If the entire species loses its ability to learn, it will get extinct.

Conclusion

Such an organism which loses its ability to learn will not be able to survive in a competitive interaction because he will be unable to survive the competition.