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PSYO 2160: Animal Behaviour > Social Behaviour > Flashcards

Flashcards in Social Behaviour Deck (69)
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1
Q

Define social behaviour per animal behaviourists. What behaviours are included in this definition?

A

Interactions between two or more individuals of same species in which one or more benefit.

Includes courtship and mating behaviour, parental behaviour.

2
Q

List the four categories of social behaviour.

A

Sexual behaviour.

Parental and alloparental care.

Agonistic behaviour: aggression, submission.

Affiliative behaviour: includes play.

3
Q

Care-giving, altruistic behaviours are what? Care-soliciting behaviours?

A

Epimeletic.

Et-epimeletic.

4
Q

Doing the same thing as other individuals (e.g., schooling in fish), is known as what behaviour?

A

Allelomimetic.

5
Q

List the five types of bonds in social behaviours.

A

Parent-offspring (persistent).

Sibling-sibling.

Female-female.

Male-male.

Male-female.

6
Q

If we keep the pair (dyad) as a unit, and we have a group of n animals, we get into many potential relationships. What is the equation for this?

A

n(n-1)/2

7
Q

Poole (1985) determined 9 factors of mammalian social organization. List them.

A

Mating strategy: degree of male/female choice.

Gregariousness (continuum).

Intolerance: towards same or different sex; degree of competitiveness.

Affectional bonds: duration of mother-offspring bond.

Complexity of communication.

Inbreeding avoidance.

Group mobility.

Fecundity (# of young per female per unit of time) and longevity (long life = more complex sociality).

Ecological factors.

8
Q

Gregariousness is defined by Poole (1985) to be part of a continuum, ranging between what four parts?

A

Solitary.

Aggregations for survival (temporary grouping of individuals; not necessarily of same species).

Group permanence and identity (“gregarious”)

Personal relationships within group (“social group” or “society”).

9
Q

Long life = more complex social organization. This explains the difference between what two animals in social sophistication and play behaviour?

A

Mice and rats.

10
Q

Classification of mammalian social organization (Poole, 1985) is based on what three things?

A

Sociability.

Sexual strategy (mating system).

Territoriality.

11
Q

List four specific advantages for social carnivores.

A

Cooperative hunting; coordinated hunting.

Cooperative protection of carcasses.

Reduced risk of hunting-related injuries.

Cooperative defence against predators.

12
Q

Bernstein’s social role theory is based on what? What is required, and how did the theory develop?

A

Social function of individuals, i.e., division of labour.

Polyethism (behavioural polymorphism).

Observations that individual differences between individuals in group not necessarily determined by competition for resources.

13
Q

Social roles can be restricted to what four categories? Can the distribution of any of these roles change with time?

A

Age group.

Sex.

Specific rank (overlap with the rank/status approach).

Specific body type (castes).

Change with time in 1, 2, 3.

14
Q

Gartland (1968) discovered what three things about the distribution of roles (7 defined) in vervet monkeys?

A

Territorial behaviour and interference in agonistic interactions performed mainly by one adult male.

Friendly approaches and subjects of these approaches mainly adult females.

Leading behaviour: adult males and females.

15
Q

Do group selection theory and kin selection theory support social role theory? Are there similar theories in other fields?

A

Group selection: supports.

Kin selection: does not. Useful to describe and analyse functional organization of group, but not adaptive significance of individual behaviours within groups.

Role theory in social psychology: role conflict, role confusion.

16
Q

Agonism refers to what principle? Define it.

A

Antithesis principle of Darwin - the opposition of two extremes of an action continuum: aggression (as attack or fight) and submission (as appeasement or retreat) in a situation of conflict.

17
Q

Agonistic behaviour includes, in a continuum, regardless of the “offensive” or “defensive” nature of the initial behaviour, what four things?

A

Attack (fight).

Threat.

Appeasement.

Escape (flight).

18
Q

Define agonistic behaviour. What is it based on and what is important to note?

A

Hierarchy of behavioural patterns (aggressive or submissive) used during a conflict with a conspecific.

Based on set of species-specific social rules. Does not always lead to reciprocity.

19
Q

Aggressive or submissive acts include what three things?

A

Movements (“actions or acts”; visual/haptic messages).

Vocalizations (auditory messages).

Scent-marking (olfactory messages).

20
Q

Define aggression.

A

Behaviour intended to inflict injury/damage/pain/ discomfort or fear.

21
Q

Aggression describes what, whereas aggressiveness describes what?

A

An action; a predisposition (individual tendency) or a disposition (internal state).

22
Q

One must consider whether it is aggressiveness or one of what three things?

A

Fear/anxiety levels (in the case of defensive behaviour or aggressive defence).

Frustration leading to hostility.

Overreaction to threat (based on perception & interpretation of threat).

23
Q

Define submission. What is the difference between submission and submissiveness? What are other related behaviours?

A

Behaviour intended to appease in order to avoid/escape aggression.

Submission is action, submissiveness predisposition or disposition.

Ignoring; freezing.

24
Q

Sometimes, an agonistic behaviour will have the same form in two different situations but a different function. What are the four things to consider?

A

Form: pattern of the aggressive-submissive act (i.e., done how?)

Cause: what caused and regulates the aggressive-submissive acts (i.e., why?).

Function: function (adaptive, instrumental) of the aggressive-submissive act (i.e., what for?).

Consequences: what effect (i.e., what happened?).

25
Q

Define dispositional factors versus situational factors. What can these factors change the probability of?

A

Dispositional (individual): internal to individual, intrinsic dispositions.

Situational (contextual): external to individual, extrinsic variables.

Change probability of aggression versus submission.

26
Q

What are the dispositional factors?

A

Biological-physiological: sex, age, hormonal status.

Personality-temperament: activity-reactivity, emotionality, sociability (aggressiveness, submissiveness, etc.).

27
Q

What are the situational factors?

A

Competition (direct) for resources: food, mates, progeny, shelter, territory.

Competition for non-resources (or indirect competition for resources): rank status in dominance hierarchies, “roles” in eusocial animals.

28
Q

List the three psychological processes involved in agonistic behaviour.

A

Conative: motivational factors.

Affective: (socio-)emotional factors.

Cognitive: perceptual and decisional factors. Social intelligence.

29
Q

Dominance takes place in the context of dominance hierarchies with what two requirements?

A

Individual recognition, necessary social information processing (social perception, memory).

Interactional learning: learning from previous social experiences.

30
Q

Barnett’s terminology, based on Schneirla’s (1965, 1966) approach-withdrawal theory, includes treptic behaviours. What are they and what are the two specific ones?

A

Treptic behaviours (interactions): characterized by approach or withdrawal. Define the EFFECT or CONSEQUENCE of an action, not the INTENTION.

Apotreptic: causes a conspecific to withdraw.

Epitreptic: causes a conspecific to approach.

31
Q

What is an advantage of Barnett’s theory?

A

Makes no assumptions about the intention or the state of the actor.

32
Q

Barnett (1981) defines agonistic behaviour as what? What are other important effects of an individual’s behaviour on another animal?

A

Conduct associated with threat (apotreptic behaviour) and the responses to it.

Inhibition of activity; warning.

33
Q

Psychologists and ethologists agree on three intentions and contexts of aggression. What are they?

A

Hostile (emotional) versus instrumental aggression (Berkowitz; Hinde).

Annoyance-motivated versus incentive-motivated aggression (Zillmann).

Reactive versus proactive aggression (Dodge & Coie).

34
Q

Reactive aggression tends to be hostile or emotional and annoyance-motivated. What are three elements to this action?

A

Anger or frustration involved.

Impulsive.

In response to perceived provocation.

35
Q

Proactive aggression tends to be instrumental and incentive-motivated. What are three elements to this action?

A

Non-angry.

Planned.

Reward-centered, instrumental.

36
Q

Define the two types of self-defence or defensive behaviour (protection of property, territory, progeny).

A

Offensive aggression (unprovoked).

Defensive aggression (reciprocation).

37
Q

In socially sophisticated species, most aggressive behaviours are determined by what?

A

Rank or status.

38
Q

Describe intra-specific aggression versus inter-specific aggression.

A

Both usually for resources (food, territory, shelter, etc.), but mate-related aggression is exclusively intra-specific.

39
Q

Predatory behaviour is not considered “aggressive” although it is sometimes labelled _____.

A

Predatory aggression.

40
Q

What is redirected aggression and ambivalent behaviour? When does it occur?

A

Behaviours of substitution or redirected aggression.

Redirected to inanimate object or subordinate animal when initiator too strong, dangerous or unapproachable to be confronted directly.

41
Q

Aggression ≠ predation, per neuroethology. Elaborate on the differences.

A

Aggression: ANS arousal; involves ventro-medial hypothalamus and dorsal PAG; librium decreases and amphetamines increase.

Predation: calm; involves dorsolateral hypothalamus and ventral PAG; librium increases and amphetamines decrease.

42
Q

Aggression from a neuroscience perspective provides three pieces of basic behavioural neuroscience evidence. What are they?

A

Intrasexual aggression (typically male-male aggression).

Fear-induced or aversion-induced aggression.

Irritable aggression or frustration-induced aggression.

43
Q

Sociobiological models of aggression/dominance are based on what main model? What is a limitation?

A

Based on game theory; cost-benefit analysis of fighting, conative factors.

Applies to contests for 2 individuals only.

44
Q

Describe the hawk-dove game proposed by Maynard-Smith et al. What are the variation strategies?

A

Hawk: persistence up to injury; rule: always be aggressive/aggressor.

Dove: pretend, but retreat if opponent escalates; in other words, bluff, but retreat.

Bourgeois strategy: play hawk if territory holder, dove if not.

Anti-bourgeois strategy: play dove if territory holder, hawk if not.

45
Q

Describe the war of attrition game, its assumption, the intensity of conflict, and a limitation.

A

More flexible model, less dichotomous (i.e., fight OR flight).

Distribution of contest length related to value of the “object” (source) of the conflict.

Conflict’s intensities are mild (no severe injury).

No cues to settle a contest.

46
Q

Describe the sequential assessment game proposed by Enquist et al., what it’s similar to, and what it requires.

A

Opponents in continual sequential assessments of each other in “bouts.”

Similar to statistical sampling: many assessments lead to low error rates, leading to high confidence.

Requires more cognitive processing.

47
Q

What is the sequence in sequential assessment game?

A

Least dangerous behaviour used first.

Assessment is done.

Second least dangerous behaviour is used.

Assessment is done.

…Etc.

48
Q

Regarding sequential assessment, evenly matched opponents engage in what? What is this an excellent model for?

A

Engage in the most dangerous behaviours.

Outcome prediction; description of a full fighting sequence; identifying “giving-up” thresholds.

49
Q

There are four related phenomena to aggression. List them.

A

Winner effect: winning predicts more wins (typical of unambiguous hierarchies).

Loser effect: losing predicts more losses.

Bystander effect: learning by observing future opponents fight.

Audience effect: individuals that are watched can change or adjust behaviours.

50
Q

What are causal and functional aggressions?

A

Causal (how, why?): aggression is response to a stimulus.

Functional (what for?): aggression is solution to a problem - “proximate” (e.g., more food) to “ultimate” functions (e.g., reproductive suppression).

51
Q

List the three typologies of aggression, per Archer (1988).

A

Protective: in response to threat of physical attack.

Parental: in response to threat to young.

Competitive: in response to threat to status or access to resources.

52
Q

List the seven typologies of aggression, per Moyer (1968, 1976). What was discarded in 1976?

A

Predatory.

Intermale.

Fear-induced.

Irritable: labelled anger or rage.

Sex-related.

Parental (maternal or paternal).

Instrumental.

Territorial discarded due to being too context-dependent.

53
Q

List the three typologies of aggression, per Ramirez (1981, 1985).

A

Interspecific: defence against predators, interspecific competition; can be reactive.

Intraspecific: hostile behaviours, usually not leading to injuries. Often escape.

Indiscriminate: “reactive aggression” including defensive reactions, maternal and irritable aggression.

54
Q

List the two typologies of aggression, per Ramirez (1998).

A

Direct (physical character): offence (involving conspecifics), defence (reactive); irritable, indiscriminate: non-specific, reactive to any provocative stimulus.

Indirect: dominance displays (ritualised aggression); symbolic (human type).

55
Q

List the six typologies of aggression, per Wilson (1975).

A

Territorial.

Dominance.

Sexual.

Predatory, including cannibalism.

Antipredatory (defensive).

Parent-offspring.

56
Q

In Wilson’s typologies of aggression, parent-offspring aggression is partially influenced by what? What three things are then associated with it?

A

Trivers’ (1971, 1974) reciprocal altruism models.

Associated with weaning; disciplinary; “moralistic.”

57
Q

Regarding the ontogenesis of aggression, what are the environmental variables? Provide examples.

A

Prenatal and perinatal influences (e.g., undernutrition of pregnant mothers).

Learning and experience (e.g., social deprivation in mice increases aggressive behaviours).

58
Q

In a dominance hierarchy, the dominant animal controls subordinate animals. Dominance-based interactions can vary in what three things?

A

Frequency: of reversals, reciprocations, etc.

Duration: stand-offs vs. quick aggressive encounters.

Intensity.

59
Q

A dominance hierarchy is a system allowing the _____ of future outcomes of interactions by establishing _____ between individuals.

A

Prediction; ranks.

60
Q

The structure and dynamic of a dominance hierarchy depends on what four things?

A

Stability of the group.

Size of the group.

Individuals involved (temperaments, ranks, etc.).

External factors such as availability of resources (mates, food, etc.).

61
Q

Schjelderup-Ebbe (1922) was the first to describe pecking order in chickens. He identified two types of hierarchies. What were they?

A

Peck-right hierarchies: all aggressions go from dominant animal to subordinate.

Peck-dominance hierarchies: majority of aggressions go from dominant to subordinate.

62
Q

What is the asymmetry criteria for dominance hierarchies?

A

Asymmetry should be found in the interactions (A dominant over B most of the time, i.e., over 50% of the time). Translates into uni-directionality of interactions.

63
Q

If A is dominant over B, C and D, a special partnership between B and C can establish a dominance over A and D. What is this behaviour called and where is it common?

A

Coalition: can reverse “directionality” of hierarchy.

Common in primates.

64
Q

_____ are long-lasting (more permanent) than coalitions.

A

Alliances.

65
Q

What are the three types of hierarchies?

A

Species-specific (even within a taxon): African green monkey has little or no dominance hierarchy; Vervet monkey has pronounced linear hierarchy.

Resource specific.

Population specific.

66
Q

Christian and Davis showed that low-ranking animals have higher levels of what than dominants do? What are the short-term and long-term implications of this?

A

Glucocorticoids.

Short term: benefit; prepares for fight or flight responses.

Long term: cost; reduction in antigen-antibody and inflammatory response, reduction in levels of reproductive hormones

67
Q

The Sapolsky (1991, 1992) baboon studies found what about the following things:

  • stable dominance hierarchies (few rank reversals)
  • unstable dominance hierarchies
  • highly stressed males
  • stable groups
  • subordinate animals
A

Dominant animals have lower levels of plasma cortisol.

Absolute rank is not a good predictor of stress levels.

Low testosterone levels including dominant males in unstable hierarchies.

Cortisol levels similar between low and high-ranking males.

More sensitive to stressful events.

68
Q

Many authors suggest that alpha males or females are not actual “leaders”. What is evidence for this?

A

Often stop fights (primates), protect group from external threats and stay away from conflicts.

69
Q

Bernstein (1964, 1966) suggests that the alpha animals have what role? What theory is this based on? Similar observations with wolves suggest that the dominant animals are not often initiators, but rather what?

A

Control role.

Social role theory.

Monitors.