scholarly journals Tibetan Macaques with Higher Social Centrality and More Relatives Emit More Frequent Visual Communication in Collective Decision-Making

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 876
Author(s):  
Zifei Tang ◽  
Xi Wang ◽  
Mingyang Wu ◽  
Shiwang Chen ◽  
Jinhua Li

Animals on the move often communicate with each other through some specific postures. Previous studies have shown that social interaction plays a role in communication process. However, it is not clear whether the affinity of group members can affect visual communication. We studied a group of free-ranging Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Huangshan Mountain, China, and answered whether and how social centrality or relatives matter in visual signals during group movement using Tobit regression modeling. All individuals emitted the signals of back-glances and pauses in collective movement. The emission of two signals decreased with the number of participants increased. The back-glance and pause signals emitted by the participating individuals were stronger as the position moved backward in the group. Sex, age, and rank had no significant influence on back-glance and pause signals. Individuals with higher social centrality would emit more pause signals, but social centrality had no effect on the back-glance signal. Individuals with more relatives in the group had more back-glance signals, but this had no effect on the pause signal. This study verifies that social centrality and the number of relatives have effects on visual signals in Tibetan macaques. We provide insights into the relationship between communication behaviors and group cooperation in social animals.

Behaviour ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 140 (7) ◽  
pp. 899-924 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
◽  

AbstractThe birth of a younger sibling is a normal event in the life of a nonhuman primate, yet commonly it is thought to be a stressful transition for the older sibling. In our previous research, we found that yearling rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) experienced increases in one mild form of distress but no significant increases in overt forms of distress, in spite of significant reductions in mother-yearling interaction. Nevertheless, some individual yearlings were distressed by this transition and here we examine variables that may structure individual differences in distress. We observed 31 yearling rhesus monkeys on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, during the month before and month after their siblings' births using focal animal sampling methods. Attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969), parent-offspring conflict theory (Trivers, 1974), and dynamic assessment models (Bateson, 1994) all predict a relationship between reduction in maternal care and increase in offspring distress, yet no previous study of sibling birth in primates has examined this relationship. We found that the reduction in the proportion of time on the nipple from the month before sibling birth to the month after was related to the rate of geckering (a distress vocalization) after sibling birth, and that the increase in time out of sight of the mother was related to the proportion of time yearlings spent in a tense state after sibling birth. Maternal aggression after sibling birth also was related to the yearlings' rate of geckering. Yearling distress was related to qualities of the mother-yearling relationship, in that yearlings that had relatively greater responsibility for maintaining proximity with their mothers before sibling birth were relatively more tense afterwards. Yearlings displayed increases in play, grooming, and contact with group members other than the mother after sibling birth, suggesting a marked shift toward greater maturity in their social relationships.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hirotaka Imada ◽  
Nobuhiro Mifune

Disease-causing parasites and pathogens play a pivotal role in intergroup behavior. Previous studies have suggested that the selection pressure posed by pathogen threat has resulted in in-group assortative sociality, including xenophobia and in-group favoritism. While the current literature has collated numerous studies on the former, strikingly, there has not been much research on the relationship between pathogen threat and in-group cooperation. Drawing upon prior studies on the function of the behavioral immune system (BIS), we argued that the BIS might facilitate cooperation with in-group members as a reactive behavioral immune response to pathogen threat. More specifically, we held that individuals might utilize cooperative behavior to ensure that they can receive social support when they have contracted an infectious disease. We reviewed existing findings pertaining to the potential role of the BIS in in-group cooperation and discussed directions for future studies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hillie Aaldering ◽  
Robert Böhm

Engaging in personally costly within-group cooperation benefits one’s in-group members but also impacts other groups by benefiting, neglecting, or harming out-group members, leading to a range of potential consequences for between-group relations (e.g., collaboration vs. competition). We introduce the Intergroup Parochial and Universal Cooperation (IPUC) game to investigate the prevalence of the individual preferences underlying these different expressions of within-group cooperation: universalism, weak parochialism, and strong parochialism. In two online experiments with natural groups, we show that the IPUC has value beyond existing economic games in measuring these preferences separately. In a third experiment conducted in the lab, we show how dispositional measures traditionally associated with within- and between-group cooperation, that is, social value orientation, social dominance orientation, honesty-humility, and empathic concern, predict different preferences. Thus, the IPUC provides a tool to better understand within- and between-group interactions and to test interventions to overcome intergroup conflict.


Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Cafazzo ◽  
Roberto Bonanni ◽  
Eugenia Natoli

The “trap, spay/neuter, and release” programs to manage unowned free-roaming cat populations are diffused worldwide and they are largely advised even in countries where the suppression of unowned cats is enforced by law. Despite the massive neutering campaigns in the world, there is little information on the influence of neutering on individual cat behaviour, as well as on the social structure of cat colonies. The aim of this study is to verify such effects. Before neutering, the group consisted of 17 free-roaming domestic cats, who were totally unrestrained. After neutering it consisted of 16 individuals. Data on the outcomes of aggressive, submissive, affiliative, and territorial behaviour were collected, using classic ethological methods (“focal animal”, “all occurrences”, and “1/0” sampling methods) (735 h of observation before and 537 h after neutering). The dominance hierarchy did not change after neutering. On the other hand, the frequency of aggressive, territorial behaviour as well as proximity among individuals decreased significantly. Affiliative behaviour has been observed among neutered adult males that never performed it before neutering. The results of this study suggest that, after neutering: (i) The group of free-ranging cats was stable over time; (ii) the hierarchical structure of the cat social group did not change; (iii) the general level of activity, decreased; (iv) urine spraying marking behaviour almost disappeared; (v) the level of social proximity among group members decreased, although it tended to increase in some male–male dyads. The most obvious effect of neutering, detected on individual behaviour, was that cats were less active.


Behaviour ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 154 (12) ◽  
pp. 1215-1237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaori Mizuno ◽  
Nachiketha Sharma ◽  
Gen’ichi Idani ◽  
Raman Sukumar

Among group-living animals, some members may derive benefit by following the decisions of other members. Free-ranging wild Asian elephants in Mudumalai National Park, southern India, must often cross roads and can be disturbed by vehicles. We assessed if measures of road and traffic characteristics serve as indicators of risk, and compared behaviours of different age classes during road-crossing events. More individuals displayed excitable behaviour on wider roads. A larger number of adults entered the road first, which is considered the most dangerous position, compared with immature elephants. Immature individuals tended to move ahead of others on the road, suggesting that it is more important for immature individuals to follow adults at the beginning of a crossing than to follow along for the entire crossing. These findings may suggest that less experienced group members derive benefit by following the decisions of experienced ones under risky situations.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey R. Moreno ◽  
Maya Weinberg ◽  
Lee Harten ◽  
Valeria B. Salinas Ramos ◽  
L. Gerardo Herrera M. ◽  
...  

AbstractAlong with its many advantages, social roosting imposes a major risk of pathogen transmission. How social animals, and especially free-ranging mammals, reduce this risk is poorly documented. We used lipopolysaccharide injection to imitate bacterial sickness in both a captive and a free-ranging colony of an extremely social, long lived mammal – the Egyptian fruit bat. We monitored behavioral and physiological responses using an arsenal of methods, including on-board GPS and acceleration, video, temperature and weight measurements, and blood samples. Sick-like bats exhibited an increased immune response, as well as classical illness symptoms including fever, weight loss, anorexia, and lethargy. Notably, they also isolated themselves from the group by leaving the social cluster and avoiding contact. Free-ranging individuals ceased foraging outdoors for at least two nights. Together, these sickness behaviors demonstrate a strong, integrative immune response which promotes recovery of infected individuals while protecting their group members from transmission of pathogens, and at the same time, reducing spillover events outside the roost.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-216
Author(s):  
Andréa Rösel de Lourenço ◽  
Célio F. B. Haddad ◽  
Fábio P. de Sá

Multimodal signaling in Boana albopunctata (Anura: Hylidae): reading visual and acoustic cues. The acoustic mode of communication is important for anurans, but visual communication is beginning to be considered essential for some species, genera, and families. This study focuses on visual and acoustic signals in Boana albopunctata (Hylidae: Cophomantinae) in an attempt to increase our understanding of signaling in this nocturnal Neotropical treefrog. Visual signals were assessed to determine whether they are directed toward conspecific opponents, as has already been observed for some diurnal anurans, or associated with potential morphological asymmetries. Associations between visual and acoustic signals were explored. The results suggest that males may combine visual and acoustic signals (multimodal signaling) synergistically, thereby strengthening the efficiency of information transmission. Thus, in nocturnal anuran species, visual signals may function primarily as an alerting component and multimodal signaling may be a relevant way of communication.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-33
Author(s):  
Hirotaka Imada ◽  
Daniel Codd ◽  
Daqing Liu

In-group favouritism is ubiquitous and previous studies have consistently found that individuals cooperate more with in-group members than out-group members in diverse contexts. Yet, there has not been much research on the role of the nature of groups in intergroup cooperation. A recent study found stronger levels of in-group favouritism amongst groups formed on the basis of shared moral values. However, it remained unclear whether the increased favouritism was caused by a greater tendency to act favourably towards the in-group or derogatorily towards the out-group. The present study thus investigated intergroup cooperation among morality-based and non-morality-based groups and examined the levels of cooperation with an in-group member and an out-group member as compared to a person whose group membership was unknown. Regardless of how groups were formed, in-group favouritism was present, while out-group derogation was absent. Furthermore, we found that the shared morality promoted in-group cooperation indirectly via low perceived out-group warmth. Our study provides further evidence that in-group favouring behaviour does not include derogating out-groups and points to the importance of further investigation into the role of the shared morality in intergroup cooperation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (01n02) ◽  
pp. 1550002 ◽  
Author(s):  
MEYSAM ALIZADEH ◽  
CLAUDIO CIOFFI-REVILLA ◽  
ANDREW CROOKS

Empirical findings from social psychology show that sometimes people show favoritism toward in-group members in order to reach a global consensus, even against individuals' own preferences (e.g., altruistically or deontically). Here we integrate ideas and findings on in-group favoritism, opinion dynamics, and radicalization using an agent-based model entitled cooperative bounded confidence (CBC). We investigate the interplay of homophily, rejection, and in-group cooperation drivers on the formation of opinion clusters and the emergence of extremist, radical opinions. Our model is the first to explicitly explore the effect of in-group favoritism on the macro-level, collective behavior of opinions. We compare our model against the two-dimentional bounded confidence model with rejection mechanism, proposed by Huet et al. [Adv. Complex Syst.13(3) (2010) 405–423], and find that the number of opinion clusters and extremists is reduced in our model. Moreover, results show that group influence can never dominate homophilous and rejecting encounters in the process of opinion cluster formation. We conclude by discussing implications of our model for research on collective behavior of opinions emerging from individuals' interaction.


1993 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 325 ◽  
Author(s):  
AML Colagross ◽  
A Cockburn

Group formation may help animals reduce their risk of predation and allow more time for activities other than vigilance against predators. Eastern grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus, are gregarious and form open-membership groups. Vigilance behaviour of free-ranging kangaroos was observed in relation-to number of individuals within the group, sex and reproductive status of individuals, proximity to cover and position within the group. Our data support the view that kangaroos adjust their behaviour in relation to the risk of predation. Reproductive females, individuals on the periphery of the group and individuals in groups far from cover were most vigilant. Contrary to previous reports, vigilance behaviour was not influenced by group size except through the edge effect-the tendency of the proportion of individuals on the periphery of the group to decline as group size increases.


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