Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Fixed Action Patterns

Fixed Action Patterns

A fixed action pattern (FAP) is a specific, hard-wired sequence of behaviors that occurs in response to an external stimulus, called a sign stimulus. The behavior is “fixed” because it is essentially unchangeable—proceeding similarly across individuals of a species every time it occurs.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Rivers in transition: Local perceptions of a Swedish dam removal.

Ambio·2026

Same author

Effects of temperature and browning on the functional response of a freshwater top predator.

The Journal of animal ecology·2026

Same author

Divergent ecological adaptation in allopatry leads to behavioral isolation through female resistance.

BMC ecology and evolution·2026

Same author

A Habitat and a Parasite: Adult and Larval Parasitic Freshwater Mussels Impact Habitat Choice and Predator-Prey Interactions of a Host Fish and Its Prey.

Ecology and evolution·2025

Same author

Differential effects of freshwater browning across fish species: consequences for individual- to community-level fish traits in north temperate lakes.

Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·2025

Same author

Impacts of an anxiolytic drug on fish behaviour and habitat use in a natural landscape.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 11, 2025

Assaying Predatory Feeding Behaviors in Pristionchus and Other Nematodes

Assaying Predatory Feeding Behaviors in Pristionchus and Other Nematodes

Published on: September 4, 2016

Linking behavioural type with cannibalism in Eurasian perch.

Matilda L Andersson¹, Kaj Hulthén¹, Charlie Blake¹

¹Division of Aquatic Ecology, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

|December 3, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Animal personality influences cannibalism. Asocial-inactive Eurasian perch ate conspecifics more than social-active perch, revealing behavioral drivers of cannibalism and its ecological impact.

More Related Videos

Basic Methods for the Study of Reproductive Ecology of Fish in Aquaria

Basic Methods for the Study of Reproductive Ecology of Fish in Aquaria

Published on: July 20, 2017

Behavioral Tracking and Neuromast Imaging of Mexican Cavefish

Behavioral Tracking and Neuromast Imaging of Mexican Cavefish

Published on: April 6, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 11, 2025

Assaying Predatory Feeding Behaviors in Pristionchus and Other Nematodes

Assaying Predatory Feeding Behaviors in Pristionchus and Other Nematodes

Published on: September 4, 2016

Basic Methods for the Study of Reproductive Ecology of Fish in Aquaria

Basic Methods for the Study of Reproductive Ecology of Fish in Aquaria

Published on: July 20, 2017

Behavioral Tracking and Neuromast Imaging of Mexican Cavefish

Behavioral Tracking and Neuromast Imaging of Mexican Cavefish

Published on: April 6, 2019

Area of Science:

Behavioral Ecology
Animal Personality Studies
Cannibalism Research

Background:

Cannibalism is common in nature, but the reasons for its variation are unclear.
Individual differences in behavior (animal personality) are widespread and can affect ecosystems.
The link between predator personality and cannibalism is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how personality traits in Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) influence their cannibalistic behavior.
To determine if specific behavioral phenotypes (activity and sociability) correlate with cannibalism rates.

Main Methods:

Quantified personality in Eurasian perch by measuring activity and sociability.
Offered perch a choice between consuming conspecifics or heterospecifics (roach, Rutilus rutilus).
Compared cannibalism rates between different behavioral types.

Main Results:

Asocial-inactive perch consumed conspecific and heterospecific prey equally.
Social-active perch preferred heterospecific prey before engaging in cannibalism.
Asocial-inactive perch exhibited significantly higher rates of cannibalism than social-active individuals.

Conclusions:

Individual variation in personality is linked to differences in cannibalism rates.
Behavioral type is a key factor influencing cannibalistic interactions in Eurasian perch.
Understanding personality-driven cannibalism provides insights into population dynamics and the maintenance of animal personality.