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Palagi, E., Paoli, T., & Tarli, S. B. (2004). Reconciliation and consolation in captive bonobos (Pan paniscus). Am. J. Primatol., 62(1), 15–30.
Abstract: Although reconciliation in bonobos (Pan paniscus) has previously been described, it has not been analyzed heretofore by the postconflict (PC) match-control (MC) method. Furthermore, although reconciliation has been investigated before in this species, consolation has not. In this study we analyzed agonistic and affiliative contacts in all sex-class combinations to clarify and reevaluate the occurrence of reconciliation in bonobos via the PC-MC method. We also investigated the occurrence of consolation by analyzing the victims' triadic contact tendency (TCT), the influence of the sex of victims, and the relative occurrence of consolation and reconciliation. We collected 167 pairs of PC-MC observations in a captive group of bonobos (in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands). The conciliatory tendency (CCT) we obtained was tendentially lower than the mean value previously found for Yerkes captive chimpanzees. Close relationships, which were present in all female-female (FF) and some male-female (MF) dyads, positively affected reconciliation rates. When only adult PC-MC pairs (157) were considered, the mean TCTs and CCTs did not differ significantly. When we focused on types of PC affiliative contact, in the case of consolation we found a striking preference for sociosexual patterns. As to the relative occurrence of consolation and reconciliation, the highest level of the former was found in the absence of the latter. When reconciliation took place, consolation generally preceded it, suggesting that consolation may be a substitutive behavior. Our findings suggest that even if reconciliation remains the best option, consolation may be an alternative substitute for reconciliation that is used to buffer the tension originating from an unresolved conflict. Reconciliation and consolation are complex phenomena that are probably related to the life history of a group. Given that few studies have been conducted on this subject, we can not at this time make any generalizations regarding conflict resolution in certain species by comparing results among studies.
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Neuringer, A. (2004). Reinforced variability in animals and people: implications for adaptive action. Am Psychol, 59(9), 891–906.
Abstract: Although reinforcement often leads to repetitive, even stereotyped responding, that is not a necessary outcome. When it depends on variations, reinforcement results in responding that is diverse, novel, indeed unpredictable, with distributions sometimes approaching those of a random process. This article reviews evidence for the powerful and precise control by reinforcement over behavioral variability, evidence obtained from human and animal-model studies, and implications of such control. For example, reinforcement of variability facilitates learning of complex new responses, aids problem solving, and may contribute to creativity. Depression and autism are characterized by abnormally repetitive behaviors, but individuals afflicted with such psychopathologies can learn to vary their behaviors when reinforced for so doing. And reinforced variability may help to solve a basic puzzle concerning the nature of voluntary action.
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Dubois, F., Giraldeau, L. - A., Hamilton, I. M., Grant, J. W. A., & Lefebvre, L. (2004). Distraction sneakers decrease the expected level of aggression within groups: a game-theoretic model. Am Nat, 164(2), E32–45.
Abstract: Hawk-dove games have been extensively used to predict the conditions under which group-living animals should defend their resources against potential usurpers. Typically, game-theoretic models on aggression consider that resource defense may entail energetic and injury costs. However, intruders may also take advantage of owners who are busy fighting to sneak access to unguarded resources, imposing thereby an additional cost on the use of the escalated hawk strategy. In this article we modify the two-strategy hawk-dove game into a three-strategy hawk-dove-sneaker game that incorporates a distraction-sneaking tactic, allowing us to explore its consequences on the expected level of aggression within groups. Our model predicts a lower proportion of hawks and hence lower frequencies of aggressive interactions within groups than do previous two-strategy hawk-dove games. The extent to which distraction sneakers decrease the frequency of aggression within groups, however, depends on whether they search only for opportunities to join resources uncovered by other group members or for both unchallenged resources and opportunities to usurp.
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Santamaria, S., Bobbert, M. E., Back, W., Barneveld, A., & van Weeren, P. R. (2004). Variation in free jumping technique within and among horses with little experience in show jumping. Am J Vet Res, 65(7), 938–944.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To quantify variation in the jumping technique within and among young horses with little jumping experience, establish relationships between kinetic and kinematic variables, and identify a limited set of variables characteristic for detecting differences in jumping performance among horses. ANIMALS: Fifteen 4-year-old Dutch Warmblood horses. PROCEDURE: The horses were raised under standardized conditions and trained in accordance with a fixed protocol for a short period. Subsequently, horses were analyzed kinematically during free jumping over a fence with a height of 1.05 m. RESULTS: Within-horse variation in all variables that quantified jumping technique was smaller than variation among horses. However, some horses had less variation than others. Height of the center of gravity (CG) at the apex of the jump ranged from 1.80 to 2.01 m among horses; this variation could be explained by the variation in vertical velocity of the CG at takeoff (r, 0.78). Horses that had higher vertical velocity at takeoff left the ground and landed again farther from the fence, had shorter push-off phases for the forelimbs and hind limbs, and generated greater vertical acceleration of the CG primarily during the hind limb push-off. However, all horses cleared the fence successfully, independent of jumping technique. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Each horse had its own jumping technique. Differences among techniques were characterized by variations in the vertical velocity of the CG at takeoff. It must be determined whether jumping performance later in life can be predicted from observing free jumps of young horses.
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Broucek, J., Uhrincat, M., KiÅ¡ac, P., Hanus, A.. (2004). Hair Whorl Position as a Predictor of Learning Ability and Locomotor Behavior in Cattle? ACTA VET. BRNO, 73(4), 455–459.
Abstract: The aim of our work was to investigate the hypothesis that the speed of solving the maze tests and
locomotor behavior of heifers in open-field tests are affected by the height location of facial whorl. Fifty-eight Holstein heifers were used. Maze learning was observed at the age of 15 weeks, and an open-field test was applied at two ages, 16 weeks and 18 months. Whorl placement was recorded by one person as each heifer entered the scale. The hair whorl position was determined on the basis of two patterns: A) hair whorl high, middle and low and B) hair whorl high and low. Heifers with a high hair whorl were the fastest (77.8 ± 84.3 s) and heifers with a middle hair whorl the slowest (87.3 ± 100.3 s) in the A pattern during the maze tests. In the B whorl pattern, heifers with a high hair whorl ran across the maze in 84.5 ± 95.2 s and heifers with a low hair whorl in 84.1 ± 97.9 s. The number of crossed squares in a 5-minute open-field test in the A pattern was the non-significantly highest in heifers with a high hair whorl (43.4) at the age of 16 weeks. In the B whorl pattern, heifers with a high hair whorl were also more mobile, but neither differences in individual minutes nor in the whole 5 minutes were significant. Heifers with a high hair whorl displayed the strongest locomotory behavior (37.6 squares) and heifers with a low hair whorl (30.8) were the slowest in the A pattern at the age of 18 months. The differences were not significant. In the B whorl pattern, heifers with a high hair whorl crossed more squares, but the difference was not significant in comparison with heifers with a low hair whorl. We found that the time of traversing the maze and the locomotor activity in open-field test may not be influenced in the dairy cattle by the height facial whorl position |
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Bond III, E. U., Walker, B. A., Hutt, M. D., & Reingen, P. H. (2004). Reputational Effectiveness in Cross-Functional Working Relationships. ‎J. Prod. Innov. Manag., 21(1), 44–60.
Abstract: The work of innovation management involves cross-functional coordination among specialists and managers with different work orientations, time horizons, professional backgrounds, and values (Ford and Randolph, 1992). While strong connections across functions are critical for new product development success (Green et al., 2000), some managers may be more adept at fostering effective cross-functional relationships than others. In this article, the authors empirically examine the factors that distinguish reputationally effective innovation workers from their less effective peers. Drawing on the work of Tsui (1984, 1994), reputational effectiveness is defined as the degree to which a manager has been responsive to the needs and expectations of constituents. This research examines the relational skills and interaction patterns of more (versus less) reputationally effective managers. A large business unit of a Fortune 500 telecommunications firm provided the context for our study. Using a two-phase approach, the authors first captured the social network patterns of 268 managers from marketing, research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and other business functions that were involved in the new product development process. In addition, the reputational effectiveness of each person who was identified as a member of the network was measured. In the second phase, the authors examined the relational competencies (e.g., role-taking ability, interpersonal control, openness) of the managers who participated in Phase I of the research. As predicted, the results indicate that role-taking ability is related positively to a manager's reputational effectiveness. No support, however, was found for the relationship between interpersonal control and reputational effectiveness. Interestingly, the authors found evidence of an inverse relationship between openness and effectiveness. By sharing too much information?or alternatively information that does not relate to the task at hand?the reputational effectiveness of a manager is damaged. Importantly, the results reveal that the social network characteristics of a reputationally effective manager differ from those of less effective managers. Closeness centrality, a measure of the degree of access one has to other organizational members, was associated strongly with reputational effectiveness. The results demonstrate that managers who are successful in working across functions appreciate the cognitive and emotional perspectives of diverse constituents and develop relationship ties that provide them with ready access to others across the organization.
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Cheney, D. l., & Seyfarth, R. M. (2004). Social complexity and the information acquired during eavesdropping by primates and other animals. In P. K. McGregor (Ed.), Animal Communication networks. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cambridge University Press.
Abstract: In many of the studies reviewed in this book, eavesdropping takes the
following form: a subject has the opportunity to monitor, or eavesdrop upon, an interaction between two other animals,Aand B. The subject then uses the information obtained through these observations to assess A`s and B`s relative dominance or attractiveness as a mate (e.g. Mennill et al., 2002; Ch. 2). For example, Oliveira et al. (1998) found that male fighting fish Betta splendens that had witnessed two other males involved in an aggressive interaction subsequently responded more strongly to the loser of that interaction than the winner. Subjects-behaviour could not have been influenced by any inherent differences between the two males, because subjects responded equally strongly to the winner and the loser of competitive interactions they had not observed. Similarly, Peake et al. (2001) presented male great tits Parus major with the opportunity to monitor an apparent competitive interaction between two strangers by simulating a singing contest using two loudspeakers. The relative timing of the singing bouts (as measured by the degree of overlap between the two songs) provided information about each “contestants” relative status. Following the singing interaction, one of the “contestants” was introduced into the male`s territory. Males responded significantly less strongly to singers that had apparently just “lost” the interaction (see also McGregor & Dabelsteen, 1996; Naguib et al., 1999; Ch. 2). What information does an individual acquire when it eavesdrops on others? In theory, an eavesdropper could acquire information of many different sorts: about A, about B, about the relationship between A and B, or about the place of Animal Communication Networks, ed. Peter K. McGregor. Published by Cambridge University Press. c. Cambridge University Press 2005. 583 P1: JZZ/... P2: JZZ/... 0521823617c25.xml CU1917B/McGregor 0 521 582361 7 October 7, 2004 22:31 584 D. L. Cheney & R. M. Seyfarth A`s and B`s relationship in a larger social framework. The exact information acquired will probably reflect the particular species social structure. For example, songbirds like great tits live in communities in which six or seven neighbours surround each territory-holding male. Males appear to benefit from the knowledge that certain individuals occupy specific areas (e.g. Brooks & Falls, 1975), that competitive interactions between two different neighbours have particular outcomes, and that these outcomes are stable over time. We would, therefore, expect an eavesdropping great tit not only to learn that neighbour A was dominant to neighbour B, for example, but also to form the expectation that A was likely to defeat B in all future encounters. More speculatively, because the outcome of territorial interactions are often site specific (reviewed by Bradbury & Vehrencamp, 1998), we would expect eavesdropping tits to learn further that A dominates B in some areas but B dominates A in others. In contrast, the information gained from monitoring neighbours interactions would unlikely be sufficient to allow the eavesdropper to rank all of its neighbours in a linear dominance hierarchy, because not all neighbouring males would come into contact with one another. Such information would be difficult if not impossible to acquire; it might also be of little functional value. In contrast, species that live in large, permanent social groups have a much greater opportunity to monitor the social interactions of many different individuals simultaneously. Monkey species such as baboons Papio cynocephalus, for example, typically live in groups of 80 or more individuals, which include several matrilineal families arranged in a stable, linear dominance rank order (Silk et al., 1999). Offspring assume ranks similar to those of their mothers, and females maintain close bonds with their matrilineal kin throughout their lives. Cutting across these stable long-term relationships based on rank and kinship are more transient bonds: for example, the temporary associations formed between unrelated females whose infants are of similar ages, and the “friendships” formed between adult males and lactating females as an apparent adaptation against infanticide (Palombit et al., 1997, 2001). In order to compete successfully within such groups, it would seem advantageous for individuals to recognize who outranks whom, who is closely bonded to whom, and who is likely to be allied to whom (Harcourt, 1988, 1992; Cheney & Seyfarth, 1990; see below). The ability to adopt a third party`s perspective and discriminate among the social relationships that exist among others would seem to be of great selective benefit. In this chapter, we review evidence for eavesdropping in selected primate species and we consider what sort of information is acquired when one individual observes or listens in on the interactions of others. We then compare eavesdropping by primates with eavesdropping in other animal species, focusing on both potential differences and directions for further research |
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Dukas, R. (2004). Evolutionary Biology Of Animal Cognition. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 35(1), 347–374.
Abstract: This review focuses on five key evolutionary issues pertaining to animal cognition, defined as the neuronal processes concerned with the acquisition, retention, and use of information. Whereas the use of information, or decision making, has been relatively well examined by students of behavior, evolutionary aspects of other cognitive traits that affect behavior, including perception, learning, memory, and attention, are less well understood. First, there is ample evidence for genetically based individual variation in cognitive traits, although much of the information for some traits comes from humans. Second, several studies documented positive association between cognitive abilities and performance measures linked to fitness. Third, information on the evolution of cognitive traits is available primarily for color vision and decision making. Fourth, much of the data on plasticity of cognitive traits appears to reflect nonadaptive phenotypic plasticity, perhaps because few evolutionary analyses of cognitive plasticity have been carried out. Nonetheless, several studies suggest that cognitive traits show adaptive plasticity, and at least one study documented genetically based individual variation in plasticity. Fifth, whereas assertions that cognition has played a central role in animal evolution are not supported by currently available data, theoretical considerations indicate that cognition may either increase or decrease the rate of evolutionary change.
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McBride, S. D., Hemmings, A., & Robinson, K. (2004). A preliminary study on the effect of massage to reduce stress in the horse. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 24(2), 76–81.
Abstract: The use of massage (as a potential form of acupressure) has long been documented as a human relaxation aid. However, little scientific research has been carried out into its potential use as a form of stress reduction in the horse. This preliminary study investigated the effect of massage at six different sites (thoracic trapezius [withers], mid-brachiocephalicus, cervical ventral serrate and cervical trapezius [mid-neck], proximal gluteal fascia and proximal superficial gluteal [croup], proximal and mid-semitendinosus [second thigh], lateral triceps, proximal extensor carpi radialis and proximal common digital extensor [forearm], proximal brachiocephalicus, proximal splenius and ear [poll and ears) on stress-related behavioral and physiological (heart rate [HR]) measures in the horse. Ten riding school ponies/horses were massaged at each of the six sites (three preferred and three nonpreferred sites of allogrooming (mutual grooming between conspecifics) and changes in HR and behavior were recorded. The results indicated that during massage, all sites except the forearm resulted in a significant reduction in HR (P < .05) with massage at the withers, mid-neck, and croup having the greatest effect (preferred sites of allogrooming). Massage at preferred sites of allogrooming also elicited significantly more (P < .05) positive behavioral responses compared with the three nonpreferred sites. The practical implications of this study are discussed.
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PNR Powers[1], & AJ Harrison[1]. (2004). Influences of a rider on the rotation of the horse-rider system during jumping. Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology, 1, 33–40.
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