Social Behaviour Flashcards
Benefits of social hierarchy
- aggression is a ritual
- real fighting is minimised
- fittest individuals survive to pass on genes
- leads to experienced leadership
Advantages of Cooperative hunting
- larger kills than when hunting alone
- individual gains more energy than if hunting individually
- subordinates benefit from a share of the kill as well as the more dominant.
Advantages of Social defence
- increased protection
- more chance of seeing predators
Altruism
When the donor is harmed by the behaviour but the recipient benefits
Reciprocal altruism
When the altruistic act is returned to the donor in the future.
Kin selection
Providing resources or protection to related individuals - donor gains indirectly through survival of the offspring who have some shared genes with the donor
Why do social insects provide resources to their queen?
Queen is related to all members of hive so workers benefit indirectly through the queen passing on genes she shares with the workers
Keystone species
A species which play a vital role for the survival of other species in an ecosystem e.g. Bees act as pollinators
Why do primates have long periods of parental care?
To allow for offspring to learn complex social behaviour
Methods to reduce conflict in social groups
- ritualistic display
- appeasement behaviours
- forming alliances
Ritualistic display
Making the organism look bigger and more scary e.g. Baring teeth, raising hackles
Appeasement behaviour
Display of submission e.g. Grooming, body postures, sexual presentation, submissive facial expressions
What factors can influence the social structure of primate groups.
- ecological niche
- resource distribution
- taxonomic group
Alliance
Relationships formed between individuals which increases social status- maintained by grooming.
Social hierarchy
The order of feeding dependant on social status (pecking order)
