Topic 6: Social Behaviour Flashcards
What are examples of social behaviours?
Social hierarchy, cooperative hunting, social defence
What is social hierarchy?
Social hierarchy is a rank order within a group of animals
What does the social hierarchy consist of?
Dominant and subordinate members
What displays do dominant animals carry out within a social hierarchy?
Ritualistic (threat) displays to reduce conflict
What displays to subordinate animals carry out within a social hierarchy?
Appeasement behaviour is to reduce conflict
What is the benefit of a social hierarchy?
They increase the chances of the dominant animal’s favourable genes being passed onto offspring
How do animals in social hierarchies increase their social status within the group?
The animals often form alliances to increase their social status
Who does coorporative hunting benefit?
Both subordinate and dominant animals
When food is scarce which animals within a social hierarchy eat first?
The dominant individuals eat first The dominant individuals eat first ensuring their survival when food is scarce
Why might foraging alone be more beneficial to subordinate animals?
They may gain more food by foraging alone
Why is cooperative hunting beneficial?
Less energy is used per individual
What does corporative hunting enable?
Enables larger prey to be cut and increases the chance of a successful catch
When will food sharing occur?
food sharing will occur as long as the reward for food sharing exceeds that of foraging individually
What does social defence strategies do?
Increase the chance of survival as some individuals can watch for predators whilst others can forage for food
Social defence strategies include…
Groups adopting specialised formations when under attack to protect their young
What is an altruistic behaviour?
Harms the donor individual but benefits the recipient
What is reciprocal altruism?
Harming the donor individual to benefit the recipient however expecting a reverse of the roles later
Where is altruistic behaviour most common in?
Common between a donor and recipient if they are related (kin)
In kin selection how does the donor benefit?
Benefits in terms of the increased chances of survival of shared genes in the recipient’s offspring or future offspring
What are examples of social insects?
Bees, wasps, ants, termites
Only some of the colony ________
contribute reproductively
i.e. in bees - queen & drones
What are the roles of most of the colony members?
Sterile workers, who cooperate with close relatives to raise relatives
workers that defend the hive/colony/nest
workers that collect pollen/food/resources
scout bees that carry out waggle dances to show the direction of food
What is the benefit of sterile workers?
They raise relatives which increases the survival of shared genes
What does the long period of parental care in primates allow for?
Allows learning of complex social behaviour
What do complex social behaviours do?
Support the social hierarchy
How do social primates reduce conflict?
Ritualistic display and appeasement behaviours
What are examples of ritualistic behaviours?
Facial expression, body posture, sexual presentation
What are examples of appeasement behaviours?
Grooming, facial expression, body posture
Why may alliances be formed?
Increase social status within the group
