Review Lecture - The study of mother-infant interaction in captive group-living rhesus monkeys

Although the influence of early social environment on man’s adult personality is now well recognized, little is known about the precise nature of the effects. One reason for this is the ethical impossibility of applying certain experimental techniques to human subjects. The question thus arises, can subhuman primates be used instead? Although they are much used in physiological research, and much is know nabout their learning abilities (e.g. Schrier, Harlow & Stollnitz 1965), only recently have they come to be used to study ‘personality’ development (Harlow & Harlow 1965). There are three main objections to their use: (i) It is argued that man’s superior intellectual capacities indicate that his behavioural development is different in kind from that of monkeys, and that the social factors which influence it have a unique nature. This, however, is a matter for empirical investigation. While it is certainly true in many ways, neither the similarities nor the differences between the psychological development of man and monkeys can be assessed until more is known about both. (ii) The social structures of subhuman species, and hence the social environment of the growing young, differ both among themselves and from those found in human societies. Cross-species generalizations thus demand extreme caution.

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Wild acorn woodpeckers recognize associations between individuals in other groups

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2018.1017 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 285 (1882) ◽

pp. 20181017 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Michael A. Pardo ◽

Emilee A. Sparks ◽

Tejal S. Kuray ◽

Natasha D. Hagemeyer ◽

Eric L. Walters ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Interactions ◽

Social Environment ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Social Intelligence ◽

Group Living ◽

Substantial Effect ◽

Social Intelligence Hypothesis ◽

The Social ◽

Melanerpes Formicivorus ◽

Acorn Woodpeckers

According to the social intelligence hypothesis, understanding the cognitive demands of the social environment is key to understanding the evolution of intelligence. Many important socio-cognitive abilities, however, have primarily been studied in a narrow subset of the social environment—within-group social interactions—despite the fact that between-group social interactions often have a substantial effect on fitness. In particular, triadic awareness (knowledge about the relationships and associations between others) is critical for navigating many types of complex social interactions, yet no existing study has investigated whether wild animals can track associations between members of other social groups. We investigated inter-group triadic awareness in wild acorn woodpeckers ( Melanerpes formicivorus ), a socially complex group-living bird. We presented woodpeckers with socially incongruous playbacks that simulated two outsiders from different groups calling together, and socially congruous playbacks that simulated two outsiders from the same group calling together. Subjects responded more quickly to the incongruous playbacks, suggesting that they were aware that the callers belonged to two different groups. This study provides the first demonstration that animals can recognize associations between members of other groups under natural circumstances, and highlights the importance of considering how inter-group social selection pressures may influence the evolution of cognition.

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Persistent social interactions beget more pronounced personalities in a desert-dwelling social spider

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2014.0419 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 20140419 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Andreas P. Modlmeier ◽

Kate L. Laskowski ◽

Alex E. DeMarco ◽

Anna Coleman ◽

Katherine Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Social Interactions ◽

Predation Risk ◽

Social Environment ◽

Personality Development ◽

Social Spider ◽

Niche Specialization ◽

The Social ◽

Animal Personalities ◽

Social Niche

The social niche specialization hypothesis predicts that repeated social interactions will generate social niches within groups, thereby promoting consistent individual differences in behaviour. Current support for this hypothesis is mixed, probably because the importance of social niches is dependent upon the ecology of the species. We test whether repeated interactions among group mates generate consistent individual differences in boldness in the social spider, Stegodyphus dumicola. In support of the social niche specialization hypothesis, we found that consistent individual differences in boldness increased with longer group tenure. Interestingly, these differences took longer to appear than in previous work suggesting this species needs more persistent social interactions to shape its behaviour. Recently disturbed colonies were shyer than older colonies, possibly reflecting differences in predation risk. Our study emphasizes the importance of the social environment in generating animal personalities, but also suggests that the pattern of personality development can depend on subtle differences in species' ecologies.

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Life expectancy, family constellation and stress in giant mole-rats ( Fukomys mechowii )

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2020.0207 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 376 (1823) ◽

pp. 20200207 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S. Begall ◽

R. Nappe ◽

L. Hohrenk ◽

T. C. Schmidt ◽

H. Burda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Environment ◽

Group Living ◽

Subterranean Rodents ◽

Theme Issue ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Family Constellation ◽

The Social ◽

Invasive Method ◽

Pituitary Adrenal Axis

Giant mole-rats ( Fukomys mechowii ) are remarkably long-lived subterranean rodents (maximum recorded lifespan as reported here greater than 26 years) that live in families with one reproductive pair (breeders) and their non-reproductive offspring (non-breeders). Previous studies have shown that breeders live on average approximately twice as long as non-breeders, a finding contradicting the classic trade-off between reproduction and lifespan. Because recent evidence points to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as playing an important role in shaping the pace of ageing in mole-rats, we analysed the influence of the social environment of giant mole-rats on intrafamilial aggression levels, indicators of long-term stress, and, ultimately, mortality. Behavioural data indicated that family constellation, especially the presence or the absence of parents, influences agonistic behaviour. As a measure of long-term stress, we established a non-invasive method of extracting and measuring cortisol from hair of giant mole-rats. Interestingly, orphaned non-breeders exhibited significantly lower levels of cortisol and lower mortality rates than did non-breeders living with both parents. Because hypercortisolism is harmful in the long-term, intrafamilial stress could help explain the earlier onset of senescence in non-breeders, resulting in a shorter lifespan. Our findings suggest that the social environment should be considered as a further factor in ageing studies involving group-living animals. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?’

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Association between social factors and gastrointestinal parasite product excretion in a group of non-cooperatively breeding carrion crows

10.1101/2020.03.20.999987 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Claudia A.F. Wascher

Keyword(s):

Social Behavior ◽

Social Environment ◽

Social Systems ◽

Dominance Rank ◽

Group Living ◽

Published Data ◽

Gastrointestinal Parasite ◽

The Social ◽

Cooperatively Breeding ◽

Lower Ranking

AbstractThe social environment strongly affects the physiological stress response in group living animals, which in turn can affect the immune system and increase susceptibility to parasites. Here, I investigate relationships between social behavior and gastrointestinal parasite product excretion in the carrion crow (Corvus corone). Individuals from a population of non-cooperatively breeding carrion crows excreted less samples containing coccidian oocysts when kept in larger groups (8 or 9 individuals) compared to those individuals kept in smaller groups (2 or 3 individuals). Lower-ranking individuals excreted more samples containing parasite oocysts compared to higher-ranking individuals. The strength of affiliative relationships and number of related individuals in the group did not relate to the proportion of droppings containing coccidian oocysts. The present results confirm an association between social environment and parasite excretion patterns in carrion crows, but the patterns described in the present study differ from previously published data derived from a group of cooperatively breeding crows. This illustrates that differences between the social systems of carrion crows might result in different associations between the social environment and parasite product excretion patterns.Significance statementOne major cost of group living is an increase in susceptibility to parasites, however not all group living animals are affected by this in the same way. A better understanding how social behavior is associated with parasite burden can help to better understand evolution of group living. This study attempts to investigate associations between dominance rank, affiliative relationships as well as groups size and gastrointestinal parasite product excretion in a group of captive carrion crows. Lower-ranking individuals excreted more samples containing parasite oocysts compared to higher-ranking individuals, confirming an association between social relationships within the groups (for example dominance rank) and parasite excretion patterns.

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Positive Adult Personality Development

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040.10.4.320 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 320-329 ◽

Cited By ~ 106

Author(s):

Ursula M. Staudinger ◽

Ute Kunzmann

Keyword(s):

Young Adulthood ◽

Personality Development ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Personality Change ◽

Developmental Tasks ◽

Adult Personality ◽

Heated Debate

Abstract. Does personality stay stable after young adulthood or is there continued change throughout middle and later adulthood? For decades, this question has caused heated debate. Over the last couple of years, a consensus has emerged based on recent cross-cultural as well as longitudinal evidence. This consensus confirms that indeed there is personality change in middle and later adulthood. Many authors have labeled this change personality maturation or growth. In somewhat simplified terms the observed pattern is as follows: neuroticism declines, conscientiousness and agreeableness increase. At the same time it has been argued that this pattern of personality change is the result of coping with the developmental tasks of adulthood and, thus, increased adjustment. We would like to examine this practice of equating developmental adjustment with growth and ask how to define personality growth. To answer this question, we consult theories of personality development as well as lifespan theory.

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