Social implications of the battle of the sexes: sexual harassment disrupts female sociality and social recognition

Abstract

Across sexually reproducing species, males and females are in conflict over the control of reproduction. At the heart of this conflict in a number of taxa is male harassment of females for mating opportunities and female strategies to avoid this harassment. One neglected consequence that may result from sexual harassment is the disruption of important social associations. Here, we experimentally manipulate the degree of sexual harassment that wild female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) experience by establishing replicated, semi-natural pools with different population sex ratios. We quantify the effects of sexual harassment on female social structure and the development of social recognition among females. When exposed to sexual harassment, we found that females had more disparate social networks with limited repeated interactions when compared to females that did not experience male harassment. Furthermore, females that did not experience harassment developed social recognition with familiar individuals over an 8-day period, whereas females that experienced harassment did not, an effect we suggest is due to disruption of association patterns. These results show that social network structure and social recognition can be affected by sexual harassment, an effect that will be relevant across taxonomic groups and that we predict will have fitness consequences for females.

Male sexual harassment alters female social behaviour towards other females

“…In fact, in social animals, sexual coercion may have its main impact on females because of its potential to disrupt the dynamics of social interactions, as shown in this and other studies [3,6,9]. In socially grouping species, affiliative and agonistic behaviours are central to the maintenance of group structure and collective group behaviour [19].…”

“…In addition, it is increasingly becoming apparent that the presence of sexually harassing males directly affects female social behaviour [4][5][6][7][8]. In a recent study, Darden et al [6] found that male sexual behaviour may in fact be detrimental to female sociality, with female Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) showing fragmentation of social networks and a decreased propensity to develop social recognition based on familiarity with other females in their environment. There is suggestive evidence in mammals that harassing males affect fission-fusion properties of groups of females [3] and female-female levels of aggression [9].…”

“…There is ample evidence that male sexual harassment of females can lead to females altering their behaviour in an attempt to resist male sexual advances and reduce levels of harassment, for example [3]. In addition, it is increasingly becoming apparent that the presence of sexually harassing males directly affects female social behaviour [4][5][6][7][8]. In a recent study, Darden et al [6] found that male sexual behaviour may in fact be detrimental to female sociality, with female Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) showing fragmentation of social networks and a decreased propensity to develop social recognition based on familiarity with other females in their environment.…”

Social preferences based on sexual attractiveness: a female strategy to reduce male sexual attention

“…The behavioural strategy investigated here is an example of how individuals take this into account in their social partner decisions, in a sexual conflict setting. The results underline that female responses to sexual harassment can have profound consequences for social structure [41,42]. Association decisions based on sexual attractiveness may well be widespread in other species with high levels of harassment.…”

Sexual Conflict in Nonhuman Primates

“…Another potential cost is the disruption of social networks and interactions among females, which is an important consequence of sexual harassment in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) (Darden, James, Ramnarine, & Croft, 2009). The potential for similar social consequences of coercion in primates has not been studied directly.…”