Behavioural trait assortment in a social network: patterns and implications

Croft, Darren P.; Krause, Jens; Darden, Safi K.; Ramnarine, Indar W.; Faria, Jolyon J.; James, Richard

doi:10.1007/s00265-009-0802-x

Cited by 244 publications

(247 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Most commonly, animals socially assort based on genetic relatedness to form family groups. However, social assortment and variation in interactions can also be determined by reproductive state [58], dominance rank [54,59], familiarity [60], behavioural traits [61], task [4,37,62], body size [63] and location [64]. In ants, the structure of interaction networks may depend on colony age, the amount of brood and stored food or ecological conditions such as seasonal changes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of individual variation on the structure and function of interaction networks in harvester ants

Pinter‐Wollman

Wollman

Guetz

et al. 2011

J. R. Soc. Interface.

128

119

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Social insects exhibit coordinated behaviour without central control. Local interactions among individuals determine their behaviour and regulate the activity of the colony. Harvester ants are recruited for outside work, using networks of brief antennal contacts, in the nest chamber closest to the nest exit: the entrance chamber. Here, we combine empirical observations, image analysis and computer simulations to investigate the structure and function of the interaction network in the entrance chamber. Ant interactions were distributed heterogeneously in the chamber, with an interaction hot-spot at the entrance leading further into the nest. The distribution of the total interactions per ant followed a right-skewed distribution, indicating the presence of highly connected individuals. Numbers of ant encounters observed positively correlated with the duration of observation. Individuals varied in interaction frequency, even after accounting for the duration of observation. An ant's interaction frequency was explained by its path shape and location within the entrance chamber. Computer simulations demonstrate that variation among individuals in connectivity accelerates information flow to an extent equivalent to an increase in the total number of interactions. Individual variation in connectivity, arising from variation among ants in location and spatial behaviour, creates interaction centres, which may expedite information flow.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of individual variation on the structure and function of interaction networks in harvester ants

Pinter‐Wollman

Wollman

Guetz

et al. 2011

J. R. Soc. Interface.

128

119

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Therefore, empirical studies of the processes that drive social network formation are crucial for our understanding of disease dynamics. A common mechanism of network formation is assortativity according to a certain trait, that is, individuals often tend to interact with others of similar phenotypes [21]. Just as common is the complementary mechanism, disassortativity, where individuals tend to interact with individuals of opposing phenotypes [22,23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual differences in boldness influence patterns of social interactions and the transmission of cuticular bacteria among group-mates

et al. 2016

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Despite the importance of host attributes for the likelihood of associated microbial transmission, individual variation is seldom considered in studies of wildlife disease. Here, we test the influence of host phenotypes on social network structure and the likelihood of cuticular bacterial transmission from exposed individuals to susceptible group-mates using female social spiders (Stegodyphus dumicola). Based on the interactions of resting individuals of known behavioural types, we assessed whether individuals assorted according to their behavioural traits. We found that individuals preferentially interacted with individuals of unlike behavioural phenotypes. We next applied a green fluorescent protein-transformed cuticular bacterium, Pantoea sp., to individuals and allowed them to interact with an unexposed colonymate for 24 h. We found evidence for transmission of bacteria in 55% of cases. The likelihood of transmission was influenced jointly by the behavioural phenotypes of both the exposed and susceptible individuals: transmission was more likely when exposed spiders exhibited higher 'boldness' relative to their colony-mate, and when unexposed individuals were in better body condition. Indirect transmission via shared silk took place in only 15% of cases. Thus, bodily contact appears key to transmission in this system. These data represent a fundamental step towards understanding how individual traits influence larger-scale social and epidemiological dynamics.

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“…Individuals also associate selectively according to personality: guppies (Poecilia reticulata) that leave the shoal to inspect predators prefer to associate with others of the same behavioural type (Croft et al 2009). Third, sociability as a personality trait is likely to be an important factor in social interactions.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Social personality traits in chimpanzees: temporal stability and structure of behaviourally assessed personality traits in three captive populations

Koski

2011

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

100

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Animals of many species show consistency in behaviour across time and contexts that differs from other individuals' behaviour in the same population. Such 'personality' affects fitness and has therefore become an increasingly relevant research topic in biology. However, consistent variation in social behaviour is understudied. In socially living species, behaviour occurs in a social environment and social interactions have a significant influence on individual fitness. This study addressed personality in social behaviour of 75 captive chimpanzees in three zoos by coding observed behaviour. Fifteen behavioural variables were significantly repeatable (range 0.21-0.93) in at least two of the three zoos. The behaviours showed considerable long-term stability across 3 years, which did not differ from the shortterm repeatability. The repeatable behaviours were then analysed with factor analyses. They formed five independent factors, three of which consisted of social traits and were labelled 'sociability', 'positive affect' and 'equitability'. The two non-social behaviour factors were labelled 'anxiety' and 'activity'. The factor scores were analysed for sex and population differences. Males had higher factor scores in all traits except 'sociability'. The factor scores differed also between the zoos, implying considerable external effects in trait expression. The results show that chimpanzees show personality in a broad range of social and non-social behaviours. The study highlights the importance of assessing personality in the social behaviour, especially in cohesive social species, as only then can we understand the consequences of personality in socially living species.

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Behavioural trait assortment in a social network: patterns and implications

Cited by 244 publications

References 47 publications

The effect of individual variation on the structure and function of interaction networks in harvester ants

The effect of individual variation on the structure and function of interaction networks in harvester ants

Individual differences in boldness influence patterns of social interactions and the transmission of cuticular bacteria among group-mates

Social personality traits in chimpanzees: temporal stability and structure of behaviourally assessed personality traits in three captive populations

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