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Giraldeau, L. - A., Valone, T., J., & Templeton, J., J. (2002). Potential disadvantages of using socially acquired information. Phil. Trans. Biol. Sci., 357(1427), 1559–1566.
Abstract: The acquisition and use of socially acquired information is commonly assumed to be profitable. We challenge this assumption by exploring hypothetical scenarios where the use of such information either provides no benefit or can actually be costly. First, we show that the level of incompatibility between the acquisition of personal and socially acquired information will directly affect the extent to which the use of socially acquired information can be profitable. When these two sources of information cannot be acquired simultaneously, there may be no benefit to socially acquired information. Second, we assume that a solitary individual's behavioural decisions will be based on cues revealed by its own interactions with the environment. However, in many cases, for social animals the only socially acquired information available to individuals is the behavioural actions of others that expose their decisions, rather than the cues on which these decisions were based. We argue that in such a situation the use of socially acquired information can lead to informational cascades that sometimes result in sub-optimal behaviour. From this theory of informational cascades, we predict that when erroneous cascades are costly, individuals should pay attention only to socially generated cues and not behavioural decisions. We suggest three scenarios that might be examples of informational cascades in nature.
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Waring, G. H. (Ed.). (2002). Horse Behavior: The Behavioral Traits and Adaptations of Domestic and Wild Horses, Including Ponies. Nrowich, NY: Noyes Publications.
Abstract: Reviews
Synopsis
The second edition of this informative book remains the most comprehensive and current overview of the behavioral traits and adaptations of horses. The book integrates findings from hundreds of international researchers to provide the reader with a factual synthesis of the behaviour of domestic and feral horses. Building on the strengths of the first edition, the author has thoroughly updated coverage of horse ancestry, development, perception, learning, play, social behavioral manipulation, maintenance activities, and sexual behaviour. Throughout these and other chapters, more emphasis has been given to animal husbandry and management. Additionally, the second edition includes an all-new section on ecological influences on activity patterns, habitat utilization, social behaviour and reproduction. An expanded section on applied ethnology provides behavioral considerations or management and insight regarding the behavioral indicators of horse health and well being. This is followed with an updated appendix listing behavioral symptoms and possible causes. The text contains numerous tables and nearly 100 illustrations and photos. Interesting Facts: Rich with international data, incorporated into text, tables, and figures Two new chapters on ecological influences dealing with interactions between environment feeding, ranging, shelter seeking, reproductive and social behavior, among other topics New chapter on behavioral considerations in horse management, plus updated material on health and well being, surveys atypical symptoms ranging from posture to social behaviour Update appendix provides an extensive listing of behavioral symptoms, with identifications of possible associated problems.
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Fisher, D. O., Blomberg, S. P., & Owens, I. P. F. (2002). Convergent Maternal Care Strategies In Ungulates And Macropods. Evolution, 56(1), 167–176.
Abstract: Mammals show extensive interspecific variation in the form of maternal care. Among ungulates, there is a dichotomy between species in which offspring follow the mother (“following” strategy) versus species in which offspring remain concealed (“hiding” strategy). Here we reveal that the same dichotomy exists among macropods (kangaroos, wallabies and allies). We test three traditional adaptive explanations and one new life history hypothesis, and find very similar patterns among both ungulates and macropods. The three traditional explanations that we tested were that a “following” strategy is associated with (1) open habitat, (2) large mothers, and (3) gregariousness. Our new life-history hypothesis is that a “following strategy” is associated with delayed weaning, and thus with the “slow” end of the slow-fast mammalian life-history continuum, because offspring devote resources to locomotion rather than rapid growth. Our comparative test strongly supports the habitat structure hypothesis and provides some support for this new delayed weaning hypothesis for both ungulates and macropods. We propose that sedentary young in closed habitats benefit energetically by having milk brought to them. In open habitats, predation pressure will select against hiding. Followers will suffer slower growth to independence. Taken together, therefore, our results provide the first quantitative evidence that macropods and ungulates are convergent with respect to interspecific variation in maternal care strategy. In both clades, differences between species in the form of parental care are due to a similar interaction between habitat, social behavior, and life history. Corresponding Editor: B. Crespi
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Valone, Thomas J., & Templeton, J. J. (2002). Public information for the assessment of quality: a widespread social phenomenon. Phil. Trans. Biol. Sci., 357(1427), 1549–1557.
Abstract: We propose that the use of public information about the quality of environmental resources, obtained by monitoring the sampling behaviour of others, may be a widespread social phenomenon allowing individuals to make faster, more accurate assessments of their environment. To demonstrate this (i) we define public information and distinguish it from other kinds of social information; (ii) we review empirical work demonstrating the benefits and costs of using public information to estimate food patch quality; (iii) we examine recent work showing that individuals may also be using public information to improve their estimates of the quality of such disparate environmental parameters as breeding patches, opponents and mates; and finally (iv) we suggest avenues of future work to better understand the nature of public information use and when it might be used or ignored. Such work should lead to a more complete understanding of the behaviour of individuals in social aggregations.
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Edling, C. R. (2002). Mathematics In Sociology. Annual Review of Sociology, 28(1), 197–220.
Abstract: Since mathematical sociology was firmly established in the 1960s, it has grown tremendously. Today it has an impressive scope and deals with topical problems of social structure and social change. A distinctive feature of today's use of mathematics in sociology is the movement toward a synthesis between process, structure, and action. In combination with an increased attention to social mechanisms and the problems of causality and temporality, this synthesis can add to its relevance for sociology in general. The article presents recent advances and major sociological research streams in contemporary sociology that involve the application of mathematics, logic, and computer modeling.
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BROUCEK, J., UHRINCAT, M., ARAVE, C. W., FRIEND, T. H., MIHINA, S., KISAC, P., et al. (2002). Effects of Rearing Methods of Heifers during Milk Replacement Period. Czech J. Anim. Sci, 71(4), 509–516.
Abstract: Fifty-eight Holstein heifer calves were assigned to one out of three treatment groups after having nursed by their mothers for the first week: BN) individual hutch, bucket with nipple n=25; DF)loose housing pen, machine milk feeder, n=16; NC) loose housing pen, nursing cow, n=17. After weaning at 8 weeks, all calves were kept in group pens. At 15 weeks of age, the behaviour in the 6-unit maze (16.4 – 4.5 m) was determined. On the first observation day, the calves were tested five times (the first one for training); on the second day there were four runs. The calves had to solve two tasks. In task A, the passage was open on the left side, and on the right side (task B) on the next day. We were testing the following hypothesis: the speed of traversing the maze is affected by the rearing system. The slowest were NC calves. On the first day (task A), the average time to traverse the maze among treatments DF (43.9 s), BN (53 s) and NC (111.3 s) was different (F = 8.26*, P = 0.0007). On the second day (task B), the averages were: BN 77.1 s, DF 83.8 s and DC 166.6 s (F=8.17*, P = 0.0008). The results indicate that the feeding method and housing used to rear calves may have a significant impact on their maze behaviour.
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Williams, J. L., Friend, T. H., Toscano, M. J., Collins, M. N., Sisto-Burt, A., & Nevill, C. H. (2002). The effects of early training sessions on the reactions of foals at 1, 2, and 3 months of age. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 77(2), 105–114.
Abstract: An early training procedure commonly termed “foal imprint training” is widely promoted in the horse industry. However, there have been no published scientific investigations of its efficacy. This study determined the effects of a training procedure on foals and their reaction to stimuli used in the early training procedure, and to a novel stimulus, at 1, 2 and 3 months of age. Twenty-five foals received a standard training procedure at 2, 12, 24, and 48 h after birth. After the training procedure, the foals received minimal additional handling that included veterinary treatments and occasional relocation. Twenty-two foals born over the same time period served as controls. All 47 (25 trained, 22 control) foals were tested at 1 month of age. Only 20 were available for testing at 2 months of age, and nine were available at 3 months. Percentage change from baseline heart rate, time required to complete exposure to each stimulus (foals that were more reactive took longer) and the behavior of each foal during the introduction of each stimulus were recorded. Overall, the control foals tended to receive lower (better) behavioral scores at 1 and 2 months of age. Foals that underwent the training procedure tended to require less time to complete exposure to the stimulus and had lower heart rates during exposure to the stimuli at 1 and 2 months of age. By 3 months of age, there were no significant differences between trained and control foals for any measures. Early training was not efficacious in this study.
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Waran, N., Leadon, D., & Friend, T. (2002). The Effects of Transportation on the Welfare of Horses. In The Welfare of Horses (pp. 125–150).
Abstract: Typically, horses are transported many times in their lives, this is with the exception of the horses reared for meat. Although difficult to estimate the extent of the movement of horses worldwide, it is clear that this is a substantial and growing practice. Until recently research into the effects of the different methods of transport (road, sea and air), was limited. This may have been because it was presumed that, because of their financial and emotional value, horses experience higher standards of transportation, than other large domestic animals. The process of transporting horses includes a range of potential Stressors, and there is scientific evidence that many of these can impact upon the welfare of the horse. In this chapter, we examine the effects of the different modes used to transport horses and we offer suggestions where possible for improvements in this practice.
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Goodwin, D. (2002). Horse Behaviour: Evolution, Domestication and Feralisation. In The Welfare of Horses (pp. 1–18).
Abstract: The evolution of the horse began some 65 million years ago. The horse"s survival has depended on adapative behaviour patterns that enabled it to exploit a diverse range of habitats, to successfully rear its young and to avoid predation. Domestication took place relatively recently in evolutionary time and the adaptability of equine behaviour has allowed it to exploit a variety of domestic environments. Though there are benefits associated with the domestic environment, including provision of food, shelter and protection from predators, there are also costs. These include restriction of movement, social interaction, reproductive success and maternal behaviour. Many aspects of domestication conflict with the adaptive behaviour of the horse and may affect its welfare through the frustration of highly motivated behaviour patterns. Horse behaviour appears little changed by domestication, as evidenced by the reproductive success of feral horse populations around the world.
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Kornblith, H. (2002). Knowledge and its Place in Nature. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Abstract: Argues that conceptual analysis should be rejected in favour of a more naturalistic approach to epistemology. There is a robust natural phenomenon of knowledge; knowledge is a natural kind. An examination of the cognitive ethology literature reveals a category of knowledge that does both causal and explanatory work. It is argued that knowledge in this very sense is what philosophers have been talking about all along. Rival accounts of knowledge that are more demanding—requiring either that certain social conditions be met or that an agent engage in some sort of reflection—are discussed in detail, and it is argued that they are inadequate to the phenomenon. In addition, it is argued that the account of knowledge that emerges from the cognitive ethology literature can provide an explanation of the normative force of epistemic claims.
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