Social Behaviour Flashcards
What is social behaviour?
Many animals live in social groups and have behaviours that are adapted to group living.
Examples of group living
•Social hierarchy
•Co operative hunting
•Social defence
What is social hierarchy
Rank order within a group of animals consisting of a dominant and subordinate members.
What happens in a social hierarchy
Dominant individuals carry out ritualistic (threat) displays whilst subordinate animals carry out appeasement Behaviour to reduce conflict.
What do social hierarchies increase the chances of?
The dominant animals favourable genes being passed on to offspring.
Why do animals often form alliances in social hierarchies?
Animals often form alliances in social hierarchies to increase their social status within the group.
What does co operative hunting benefit?
Benefits subordinate animals as well as dominant ones, as they may gain more food than by foraging alone.
How is energy spread in co operative hunting?
Less energy is used per individual
What does co operative hunting enable?
Enables larger prey to be caught and increases the chance of success.
What do social defence strategies increase the chance of?
Increases the chance of survival as some individuals can watch for predators whilst others can forage for food.
What do groups adopt?
Groups adopt specialised formations when under attack protecting their young.
What does an altruistic behaviour do
Harms the donor individual but benefits the recipient.
What is reciprocal altruism
Where the roles of donor and recipient later reverse, often occurs in social animals.
Behaviour that appears to be altruistic…
Can be common between a donor and a recipient if they are related (Kin).
How will the donor benefit in kin selection?
The donor will benefit in kin selection in terms of the increased chances of survival of shared genes in the recipients offspring or future offspring.
Examples of social insects
• bees
• wasps
• ants
• termites
Social insects…
And the structure of their society in which only some individuals(queens and drones) contribute reproductively.
What are most of the members of a colony?
Most members of a colony are sterile workers who co-operate with close relatives to raise relatives.
Examples of workers roles
• Defending the hive
• Collecting pollen
• carryon out waggle dances to show the direction of food.
What do sterile workers do?
Sterile workers raise relatives to increase survival of shared genes
What do primates have a long period of?
Primates have a long period of parental care to allow learning of complex social behaviour.
What do complex social behaviours do?
Complex social behaviours support the social hierarchy, reduces conflict through ritualistic display and appeasement behaviour.
Examples of complex social behaviours
• Grooming
• Facial expression
• Body posture
• Sexual presentation
What is formed between individuals?
Alliances are formed between individuals, which are often used to increase social status within the group.
