How do ethologists believe animals initiate behavior in response to a stimulus?

Ethologists propose that animals initiate behavior through innate releasing mechanisms. These mechanisms refer to a sequence of neurological and physiological responses triggered by specific stimuli, allowing innate behaviors to be expressed. For example, when an animal encounters a particular visual or auditory cue, its brain processes this information through these mechanisms, leading to a reflexive and instinctual behavior that is characteristic of the species.

This concept emphasizes the idea that many behaviors in animals are hardwired and biological, rather than solely learned or conditioned. While other factors such as environmental cues may play a role in shaping behavior, the focus of ethology is primarily on the instinctual, genetically encoded responses to stimuli that are common across members of a species. Understanding this helps to clarify the foundation of animal behavior as being rooted in evolution and survival instincts.