The estrogen-receptor gene is also attributed to mice sexual rampages. Disruption of this gene is experiments showed an almost complete shutdown of sexual behaviour in males. Absence of the 'ERa' and 'ERß' gene in male mice caused them to be unresponsive to highly receptive females, either by mating attempts or making the ultrasonic vocalisation that normally accompanies pre-mating behaviour.
Sparrow mating calls are also slightly due to their inherited genes from their parents. Within the same species, there are regional variations in bird song. These differences could be interpreted as evidence for a genetic basis. Putting aside environmental influences such as learning the dialect from adults in the area, infant chicks were born with a crude template of what their species song sounds like, which remained the same in an isolated environment. Once again, this shows a slight extent to gene factors and the status if innate behaviour.
There are many problems with this notion. DNA is inherited, but behavioural patterns are not. Genes certainly affect behaviour, but animals are always developed within some sort of environment and thus it would be impossible to see if this behavioural pattern would emerge in all environments.
Now, the ‘gay gene’ has been one of controversy. Researchers have claimed that a DNA segment on the X chromosome which contributes to gayness. No single gene is reason for this sexual disorientation according to these results however a correlation has shown that homosexuality has genetic origins. Queerness is not only observable just in humans, fruit flies under experiments that caused a shortage in serotonin levels were seen in the act of ‘daisy-chaining’. Although this theory has not been proven concrete, it does show that genes do play a rather important role, in influencing behaviour.
Another factor that has its involvement in behaviour characteristics is nerve cells. Neurons are brain cells that specialise in communication. Information passes from dendrites through the cell body and along the axon to an axon terminal close to dendrites close to neighbouring neurons as an electrical pulse. When the nerve impulse reaches the axon terminal, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and stick to the present receptors, triggering another nerve impulse. This communication between cells affects our behaviour in ways such as being able to respond in an appropriate way to situations.
Surroundings and situations are picked up by our senses such as sight, sound or touch and this is relayed to the brain by nerve impulses via neurons. Situations such as a female being approached by a male for courtship would allow her to respond. Chemicals or genes influence their responses such as the dissatisfactory gene in Drosophila flies. However, it is the stimuli by the nerve cells that cause the genes to kick in.
Nerve cells have very influence on behaviour as all they do is transmit information to the brain which then sends electrical impulses to muscles or activates an enzyme or gene.
The most influential factor responsible for behavioural traits is learning, or the result of ‘nurture’, from environmental factors. Environmental influence is not a solo effort, but rather plays a more important role in being responsible for behaviour. Swallows are born with a crude template of their song but only after listening to the dialect of adult birds of the same species can they then develop it fully. This can also be seen in the Herring sea gull chicks as they choose to continue pecking at the regurgitation spot on their parents’ bill after a 6 day period.
Animal cries are also a product of nurturing. Infants observe their parents’ and notice that when a certain predator is lurking, a warning cry is heard, which is different to a call that signifies the presence of food. The trial and error technique is also part of the learning process and animals learn to differentiate between harmless and dangerous situations.
Infants who spend more time on a jungle gym than in a playpen learn more and thus develop their brain cortex further, improving their logic. Interaction with other infants would also discourage anti-social characteristics. If parents are consensual, their infant can be brought up with a gay childhood and thus will not have to inherit the fruitless gene that apparently results in homosexuality. If not, he can be brought up along the straight, narrow path and reproduce in a healthy relationship involving a female.
Thus, the learning process has a large extent in being responsible for behaviour. However, not one factor determines behaviour traits but rather they act together to influence the way in which the person, or animal, behaves.