A modal action pattern, formerly known as a fixed action pattern, is an innate, stereotyped sequence of behaviors that is triggered by a specific stimulus known as a sign stimulus or releaser, and once initiated, typically runs to completion regardless of environmental feedback. Originally described by ethologists Konrad Lorenz and Nikolaas Tinbergen, modal action patterns are studied as examples of genetically programmed behavioral sequences that serve adaptive functions in survival and reproduction. The term “modal” reflects that while these patterns are relatively consistent, they do show some variability. For example, the egg-retrieval behavior of a greylag goose — which will retrieve any egg-shaped object back to its nest using a specific rolling motion — is a classic example of a modal action pattern.
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