identify data sources, gather and process information from secondary sources to identify the range of senses involved in communication
Senses | Human examples | Other animal examples |
---|---|---|
sight (visual) |
facial expression signal emotions including aggression |
bioluminescence in fireflies to attract mates, female chimpanzees have a coloured rump to show when they are ready for mating, Blue-ringed octopus signal an intention to attack by glowing blue rings on their bodies. |
smell (olfactory) |
not so important in humans, human females may change their menstrual cycle because of olfactory information |
animals release pheromones to make their presence known; male mice will mate immediately they smell a receptive female. |
hearing (auditory) |
language used extensively to convey information, used as a warning signal. |
crickets use sound as a warning and to attract mates, some moths can hear the ultrasonic calls of bats and can avoid being eaten, frogs use sound for mating calls, dolphins use echolocation. |
touch (tactile) |
used in group bonding and in mating. Also used aggressively |
seagull chicks get their mothers to release food by pecking on their beaks. Bees dance to communicate the location of food. |
taste |
some butterflies such as the Monarch butterfly have a bitter taste to communicate that they are poisonous |
Here are some Internet sites to get you started.
Human senses, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA.
Bird communication , Greg Ritchison, Eastern Kentucky University.