During a field trip, an instructor touched a moth resting on a tree trunk. The moth raised its forewings to reveal large eyespots on its hind wings. The instructor asked why the moth lifted its wings. One student answered that sensory receptors had fired and triggered a neuronal reflex culminating in the contraction of certain muscles. A second student responded that the behavior might frighten predators. Which statement best describes these explanations?
A) The first explanation is correct, but the second is incorrect.
B) The first explanation refers to proximate causation, whereas the second refers to ultimate causation.
C) The first explanation is testable as a scientific hypothesis, whereas the second is not.
D) Both explanations are reasonable and simply represent a difference of opinion.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first explanation refers to the proximate causation of the behavior (the immediate physiological mechanism causing the wings to lift), while the second explanation refers to the ultimate causation (the evolutionary reason for the behavior, to scare off predators). Both explanations have their place in understanding the behavior, but they are addressing different levels of causation.

During a Field Trip, an Instructor Touched a Moth Resting