Cockroaches run when exposed to a gust of wind from a predator, yet they ignore the wind that they create themselves when they walk. Plummer and Camhi (1981) were able to demonstrate that this happens because
A) cockroaches generate a wind speed of only 12 mm per second when they walk, but a predator produces a wind speed of 100 mm per second when it strikes.
B) it is not actually the wind generated by the predator that is the critical stimulus, but a visual stimulus, such as a looming shadow, that generates the escape response.
C) the absolute velocity, rather than the relative velocity, of the wind is the critical factor in inducing running behavior.
D) when presented with winds of the same peak velocity, cockroaches ran more frequently when exposed to winds of higher acceleration.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Plummer and Camhi's research found that cockroaches respond to the acceleration of wind, not just its velocity, indicating that they can distinguish between the wind they generate and the more sudden, faster-accelerating wind produced by predators.

Cockroaches Run When Exposed to a Gust of Wind from a Predator