Social Behaviour Flashcards
What are advantages of living in a social group?
- protection; safety in numbers
- finding mates
- easier to catch food
- held when raising young
What are adapted behaviours in group living?
- social hierarchy
- cooperative hunting
- social defense
What is social hierarchy?
Found in large social groups where animals are ranked as a result of aggressive behaviour. Higher ranked animals are dominant over lower-ranked subordinates (pecking order).
Behaviour in a social hierarchy?
Dominant individuals carry out ritualistic threat displays and subordinates carry out submissive, appeasement behaviour to reduce conflict.
Benefits of social hierarchy?
Increased chances of the dominant animal’s favourable genes being passed on to offspring.
How do animals increase their social standing in a social hierarchy?
By forming an alliance.
What is cooperative hunting?
Predatory animals often hunt together to increase hunting success.
Benefits of cooperative hunting?
- Both dominant and subordinate animals gain more food than individually.
- Less energy is used per individual.
- Larger prey can be caught.
What is social defense?
Staying together as a large group offers protection from predators and increases chances of survival.
Benefits of social defense?
- Individuals can take turns watching for predators while others eat/forage.
- Groups can adapt specialised formations to protect the vulnerable when under attack.
What is altruism?
Unselfish behaviour which is detrimental to the donor and beneficial to the recipient.
What are the forms of
altruism?
Reciprocal and kin selection.
What is reciprocal altruism?
One animal giving help to another in the prospect of the favour being returned.
Where does reciprocal altruism usually occur?
Social animals
What is an example of reciprocal altruism?
Grooming to remove parasites in apes.
What is kin selection?
The donor will benefit through increased chances of survival of shared genes in the recipient’s offspring.
Where does kin selection usually occur?
Usually between close relatives.
Explain the behaviour between social insects.
They have developed complex social behaviours where a division of labour exists and the workers show extreme altruism.
What are some examples of social insects?
- bees
- wasps
- ants
- termites
What do sterile members of the colony do in social insects?
Food gathering, defense, and raising offspring.
Who reproduces in social insects?
Only the responsibility of a few fertile individuals.
Explain the extreme altruism in honey bee societies.
It is based on kin selection as it increases the survival of shared genes in future offspring.
What is the purpose of a ‘waggle dance’?
To show the direction of food to other workers to minimise their energy expenditure.
What are primates?
A group of placental mammals - humans, monkeys, apes, and lemurs.
Why do primates provide long periods of parental care?
To give their offspring the opportunity to learn complex social behaviours.
What are examples of complex social behaviours learned by primates?
Language and play.
Why is language useful to primates?
Allows communication of thoughts and feelings to others.
Why is play useful to primates?
Allows offspring to practice adult behaviours, such as sharing and cooperation.
How is conflict reduced between social animals?
Subordinates carry out submissive appeasement behaviour.
What happens to the loser when two primates engage in ritualistic threat displays to assert their dominance?
The loser will adopt appeasement behaviour to reduce conflict.
What are examples of appeasement behaviour?
- Grooming - reduces tension and strengthens friendships.
- Facial expressions - lip-smacking, exposing teeth, and bowing.
- Sexual presentation - females presenting themselves to males.
What will alliances do in a social hierarchy?
Increase their social standing.
