Association for Biology Laboratory Education

Behavioral Priming in Jumping Spiders
 

David A. McKinney

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2013, Volume 34

Abstract

Laboratory exercises in behavior are relatively uncommon, and this is in part due to the difficulty of working with most model organisms. Here I propose a novel model organism for teaching behavior, and exemplify its tractability and accessibility with a laboratory exercise in behavioral priming. In this inquiry-focused exercise, students will design behavioral experiments and investigate the concept of behavioral priming in the context of jumping spider communication. The basics of obtaining, maintaining, and manipulating jumping spiders are also described.

Keywords:  ethology, behavior, jumping spiders, behavioral priming, Salticidae

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (2012)