scholarly journals Social Dominance and familiarity modulate prosocial decision-making in rats

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Gachomba ◽  
Joan Esteve ◽  
Aroa Sanz Maroto ◽  
Cristina Márquez
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Tracking System ◽  
Prosocial Behaviors ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
The Social ◽  
Custom Made ◽  
Behavioral Mechanisms

Prosocial behaviors i.e., actions that benefit others are pervasive in the animal kingdom, being essential for social bonding and cooperation. Several factors have been proposed to modulate prosocial behaviors, such as the familiarity of the partner and the social status of the interacting individuals. However, little is know about the behavioral and brain mechanisms that promote these interesting modulations. To target these questions, we investigate the effects of social context on prosocial behavior in rats, an animal model with rich social interactions and amenable of neural circuits manipulation. We previously showed that rats display prosocial choices in the absence of self-benefit (Márquez et al., 2015). Here we ask whether this kind decision-making is modulated by the familiarity and the social status of the interacting animals. In order to gain insights into the behavioral mechanisms underlying prosocial choices, we performed fine-grained quantification of social interactions, with subsecond resolution, using a custom-made automated tracking system for animals body parts detection.

scholarly journals Cooperation and the evolution of intelligence

2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1740) ◽  
pp. 3027-3034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke McNally ◽  
Sam P. Brown ◽  
Andrew L. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Artificial Neural Network Model ◽  
Social Intelligence ◽  
Arms Race ◽  
Selection Pressures ◽  
Social Intelligence Hypothesis ◽  
The Social ◽  
Selection For

The high levels of intelligence seen in humans, other primates, certain cetaceans and birds remain a major puzzle for evolutionary biologists, anthropologists and psychologists. It has long been held that social interactions provide the selection pressures necessary for the evolution of advanced cognitive abilities (the ‘social intelligence hypothesis’), and in recent years decision-making in the context of cooperative social interactions has been conjectured to be of particular importance. Here we use an artificial neural network model to show that selection for efficient decision-making in cooperative dilemmas can give rise to selection pressures for greater cognitive abilities, and that intelligent strategies can themselves select for greater intelligence, leading to a Machiavellian arms race. Our results provide mechanistic support for the social intelligence hypothesis, highlight the potential importance of cooperative behaviour in the evolution of intelligence and may help us to explain the distribution of cooperation with intelligence across taxa.

The collaborative dimensions of argument maps: A socio-visual approach

Semiotica ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (220) ◽  
pp. 199-216
Author(s):  
Sabrina Bresciani ◽  
Martin J. Eppler
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Organizational Decision Making ◽  
Argument Mapping ◽  
The Social ◽  
Visual Approach ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Complex Argumentation

AbstractThis paper examines the collaborative use of visual argument maps in the context of argument production in organizations. Argument maps are highly multimodal, as their use involves the combination of diagrams, text elements, as well as spoken statements. In this theoretical piece, we apply a Collaborative Dimensions framework to argument maps that can be used to better design, understand, evaluate, and use argument maps in collaborative settings for decision making purposes. Specifically, our conceptual framework – derived from interdisciplinary perspectives – takes into consideration how the visual dimensions of argument maps have a bearing on the social interactions of people involved in a complex argumentation process. We posit that cognitive dimensions of argument maps need to be enriched with additional communicative and collaborative dimensions in order to foster a more widespread adoption of argument mapping in organizational decision making. In our socio-visual approach to argument mapping, we thus distinguish the following seven dimensions: Visual Insight, Outcome Clarity, Directed Focus, Perceived Finishedness, Visual Appeal, Content Modifiability, and Collaboration Support. We illustrate the use of the framework as an evaluation tool and analyze three different approaches to argument mapping with the help of the seven dimensions. In this way, the framework can be used to improve collaborative argument mapping. Our contribution thus lies in proposing an interdisciplinary and theoretically grounded set of factors to augment the quality of argument maps, both from a process and a results perspective. In this manner we hope to contribute to the theory of argumentation through the rich notion of “collaborative dimensions,” as well as further the practice of collaborative argument production through a more reflective and systematic use of interactive argument visualization.

scholarly journals Was Jesus Illegitimate? The Evidence of His Social Interactions

2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-100
Author(s):  
James McGrath
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Status ◽  
First Century ◽  
Historical Jesus ◽  
Social Category ◽  
Jewish Society ◽  
Illegitimate Child ◽  
The Social

AbstractThis article examines the social status of the historical Jesus in relation to recent studies that place Jesus into the social category of an illegitimate child. After surveying the evidence with respect to the situation of such individuals in first-century Mediterranean and Jewish society, we shall proceed to examine whether Jesus’ implied social status (as evidenced by accounts of his adult social interactions) coheres with what one would expect in the case of someone who bore the stigma of that status. Our study suggests that the scandal caused by Jesus’ association with the marginalized clearly implies that he did not himself fall into that category.

Individual pension-related risk propensities: the effects of socio-demographic characteristics and a spousal pension entitlement on risk attitudes

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 847-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
GORDON L. CLARK ◽  
KENDRA STRAUSS
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Pension Plan ◽  
Pension Plans ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Risk Attitudes ◽  
Occupational Pension ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
The Social

ABSTRACTThe transition from defined-benefit to defined-contribution occupational-pension plans has placed a premium on the participants' or contributors' decision-making competence. Their attitudes to risk and their responses to available investment options can have far-reaching implications for their retirement income. Behavioural research on risk and uncertainty has raised understanding of the limits of individual decision-making, but the social status and demographic characteristics of plan participants may also affect risk perception and pension choices. By studying a random sample of the British adult population, this paper explores the significance of socio-demographic characteristics for pension-related risk attitudes. It is demonstrated that pension-plan participants do not appear to understand the risks associated with different types of retirement savings and pension plans. The paper also shows that the gender, age and income of plan participants can give rise to distinctive risk propensities, and that marital status and, in particular, whether a spouse also has a pension can also have significant consequences for household risk preferences. These results have implications for those segments of the population that are disadvantaged in the labour market. Employer-provided pensions' education and information programmes may have to be more basic and more closely tailored to the social status of pension plan participants than hitherto assumed or hoped.

scholarly journals Pair Bond-Induced Affiliation and Aggression in Male Prairie Voles Elicit Distinct Functional Connectivity in the Social Decision-Making Network

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle R. Gossman ◽  
Benjamin Dykstra ◽  
Byron H. García ◽  
Arielle P. Swopes ◽  
Adam Kimbrough ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Correlation Pattern ◽  
Social Decision ◽  
Social Encounter ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Decision Making

Complex social behaviors are governed by a neural network theorized to be the social decision-making network (SDMN). However, this theoretical network is not tested on functional grounds. Here, we assess the organization of regions in the SDMN using c-Fos, to generate functional connectivity models during specific social interactions in a socially monogamous rodent, the prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Male voles displayed robust selective affiliation toward a female partner, while exhibiting increased threatening, vigilant, and physically aggressive behaviors toward novel males and females. These social interactions increased c-Fos levels in eight of the thirteen brain regions of the SDMN. Each social encounter generated a distinct correlation pattern between individual brain regions. Thus, hierarchical clustering was used to characterize interrelated regions with similar c-Fos activity resulting in discrete network modules. Functional connectivity maps were constructed to emulate the network dynamics resulting from each social encounter. Our partner functional connectivity network presents similarities to the theoretical SDMN model, along with connections in the network that have been implicated in partner-directed affiliation. However, both stranger female and male networks exhibited distinct architecture from one another and the SDMN. Further, the stranger-evoked networks demonstrated connections associated with threat, physical aggression, and other aversive behaviors. Together, this indicates that distinct patterns of functional connectivity in the SDMN can be detected during select social encounters.

scholarly journals Antibiotic prescription in primary care from the perspective of family physicians: a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salih Hosoglu ◽  
Annika Yanina Claßen
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Antibiotic Prescription ◽  
Family Physicians ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Patient Expectations ◽  
Medical Decision ◽  
The Social

Abstract Background Antibiotic consumption rates increase worldwide steadily. Turkey is now top on the list of global consumption and a prototype of excessive use of antibiotics. In the last two-decades, family physicians (FPs) have become key figures in the healthcare system. The aim of this study is to understand the reasons for inappropriate prescription and to elicit suggestions for ways of improving antibiotic use in primary care from doctors themselves.Methods This is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with key individuals. Fourteen FPs from different parts of Turkey participated in these interviews. They were questioned on major indications for antibiotic prescription, reasons for inappropriate antibiotic prescription, obstacles to decision making in antibiotic use and their suggestions for improving antibiotic use. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for common themes. Thematic coding was used in the formulation of themes.Results Interviewees emphasized the coercive factors that lead to inappropriate antibiotic prescription: patient expectations, defensive medical decision making, constraints due to workload and limited access to laboratories. The most powerful suggestions for improving the quality of antibiotic prescription were public campaigns, improvements in the diagnostic infrastructures of primary care centers and enhancing the social status of FPs. The FPs expressed strong concerns related to the complaints that patients make to administrative bodies. Conclusions Physicians in primary care work under immense pressure stemming mainly from workload, patient expectations and obstacles to diagnostic processes. Improving the social status of physicians, increasing public awareness and the facilitation of diagnostic procedures were the methods suggested for increasing antibiotic prescription accuracy.

Gems, Cameos, and Social Practice

2021 ◽  
pp. 357-383
Author(s):  
Jörn Lang
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Social Group ◽  
Social Practice ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Functional Approach ◽  
The Body ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Social ◽  
Individual Protection

This chapter focuses on the social practice of Roman images in the form of engraved gems and cameos. They were carried along on the body of their owner, so that the way they were perceived was highly flexible. The function of the representations was thus not limited to spatially fixed contexts of perception and could potentially function in all social configurations in which their wearer interacted socially. This essay aims to consider gems and cameos as objects within social spheres of activity. The starting point is the use of the objects. This makes it possible at least to limit the social interactions into which the images were integrated. Following upon this functional approach and an overview of common pictorial motifs, examples of possible ways these representations were concretely integrated to social practices will be shown. To this end, both outwardly directed functions such as social status or affiliation with a social group as well as actor-oriented aspects such as personal commemoration or the desire for individual protection are considered.

‘Bending the Rules’: The Space between HQ Policy and Local Action in UN Civilian Peacekeeping

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 293-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Felix da Costa ◽  
John Karlsrud
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Institutional Policy ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
The Social ◽  
Policy Decision Making ◽  
The Relationship

Recent literature has argued that a ‘dominant peacebuilding culture’ has precluded the contextualisation of peacebuilding to local dynamics. The article explores the ‘peacekeeping-peacebuilding nexus’ in practice, where civilian peacekeepers are increasingly considered to be early peacebuilders. Drawing on examples from United Nations (UN) civilian peacekeeping involvement in local peacebuilding in South Sudan, this article argues for a less reductionist and more nuanced view of local peacebuilding and the social interactions and dynamics which take place. It recognises the discrepancies between official UN Headquarters (HQ) policy and action in the “field”, and thus explores the relationship between policy and practice and the location of agency and authority in civilian peacekeeping. The article argues that the critique levelled against peacekeeping and peacebuilding for being focused on actors in host country capitals does not sufficiently take into consideration the relationship between capitals and the “field”. Rather, local peacebuilding outcomes depend as much or more on negotiations, bargains and compromises between different actors at the “field” level, than on institutional policy decision-making deriving from headquarters.

scholarly journals Cooperation in large-scale human societies -- What, if anything, makes it unique, and how did it evolve?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon T. Powers ◽  
Carel P. van Schaik ◽  
Laurent Lehmann
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Prosocial Behaviors ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Individual Decision ◽  
Individual Decision Making ◽  
Self Interest

To resolve the major controversy about why prosocial behaviors persist in large-scale human societies, we propose that two questions need to be answered. First, how do social interactions in small-scale and large-scale societies differ? By reviewing the exchange and collective-action dilemmas in both small-scale and large-scale societies, we show they are not different. Second, are individual decision-making mechanisms driven by self-interest? We extract from the literature three types of individual decision-making mechanism, which differ in their social influence and sensitivity to self-interest, to conclude that humans interacting with non-relatives are largely driven by self-interest. We then ask: what was the key mechanism that allowed prosocial behaviors to continue as societies grew? We show the key role played by new social interaction mechanisms -- change in the rules of exchange and collective-action dilemmas -- devised by the interacting individuals, which allow for self-interested individuals to remain prosocial as societies grow.

scholarly journals Cortical dynamics underlying social behavior in dominance hierarchy and spatial navigation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariel Lara-Vasquez ◽  
Nelson Espinosa ◽  
Cristian Morales ◽  
Constanza Moran ◽  
Pablo Billeke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Collective Behavior ◽  
Dominance Hierarchy ◽  
Behavioral Performance ◽  
Social Ranking ◽  
Cortical Dynamics ◽  
The Social ◽  
Connectivity Patterns

AbstractRodents establish dominance hierarchy as a social ranking system in which one subject acts as dominant over all the other subordinate individuals. Dominance hierarchy regulates food access and mating opportunities, but little is known of its significance in collective behavior, for instance during navigation for foraging or migration. Here, we implemented a simplified goal-directed spatial navigation task in mice and found that the social context exerts significant influence on individual decision-making, even when efficient navigation rules leading to reward had been previously learned. Thus, decision-making and consequent task performance were strongly dependent on contingent social interactions arising during collective navigation, yet their influence on individual behavior was outlined by dominance hierarchy. Dominant animals did not behave as leaders during navigation; conversely, they were most sensitive to social context. Social ranking in turn was reflected in the neural activity and connectivity patterns of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, both in anesthetized and behaving mice. These results suggest that the interplay between contingent social interactions and dominance hierarchy can regulate behavioral performance, supported by the intrinsic matrix of coordinated activity in the hippocampal-prefrontal circuit.Significance StatementDecision-making is shaped by intrinsic features, such as memory-stored information, and external influences, such as social interactions, yet their interplay is not well understood. We studied decision-making during collective behavior and found that instead of prioritizing memory-based pertinent information, mice shifted their individual decisions according to contingent social interactions arising in the social context. Conversely, constitutive social interactions, such as dominance hierarchy, were relevant to outline the effect of the social environment on individual behavior. Our results suggest that intrinsic hippocampal-cortical activity and connectivity patterns define social interactions. Hence, intrinsic cortical dynamics underlie behavioral performance during social decision-making.

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