BEHAVIOR SCHEDULE
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 264 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
A. LOTKA introduces this interesting concept as follows: “We may say … that the organism goes through a certain routine of motions or activities which are rendered possible by its structure, and which, in turn, are a necessary condition for the continued existence of that structure. These activities in general involve the expenditure of certain quantities of free energy, and a part of the energy so expended, is spent necessarily in collecting (earning) a ”replacement“ amount equal to the total expenditure, to balance the account, to cover the cost of living” (1956, p.346).
By connecting behavior with structure (in a reciprocal way), this concept bridges a gap between those of dynamic stability, organizational closure, hypercycle and behavior in general.
It is possible to describe behavior schedules in a quantitative way, for example, as shown by LOTKA, by an estimation of the normal use of earned calories.
Behavior schedules can be modified, for instance by adaptive ethological changes in habits.