Social hierarchy plays important roles in maintaining social structures. Despite similarity in concept, frameworks of human hierarchy have seldom been investigated in parallel with other animals. Moreover, the importance of subordination in hierarchical formation has been largely underestimated in previous research. Here we established, compared, and investigated hierarchy in children and weanling mice. Temperament assessments suggested that children who are less persistent, low emotional intensity, and withdrew easily were more likely to be subordinate in competitive scenarios independent of task characteristics and interaction experiences. The tube test further showed that conflicts between mice were not resolved by winner approach but by loser withdrawal, which was mainly determined by intrinsic subordinate status regardless of opponents. Our study presents evolutionary conserved hierarchical relationships in young and a critical role of the intrinsic subordinate characteristics in hierarchical determination. These findings provide a new perspective on social interactions with potential implications for preschool education.
Social hierarchy is associated with various phenotypes. Although memory is known to be important for hierarchy formation, the difference in memory abilities between dominant and subordinate individuals remains unclear. In this study, we examined memory performance in mice with different social ranks and found better memory abilities in dominant mice, along with greater long-term potentiation and higher memory-related gene expression in the hippocampus. Daily injection of memory-improving drugs could also enhance dominance. To validate this correlation across species, through inventory, behavioral and event-related potential studies, we identified better memory abilities in preschool children with higher social dominance. Better memory potentially helped children process dominance facial cues and learn social strategies to acquire higher positions. Our study shows a remarkable similarity between humans and mice in the association between memory and social hierarchy and provides valuable insight into social interactions in young animals, with potential implications for preschool education.
Social hierarchy is associated with various phenotypes. Although memory is known to be important for hierarchy formation, the difference between dominant and subordinate individuals in memory abilities remains not well investigated. In this study, we examined memory performance in weanling mice with different social ranks and found better memory abilities in dominant mice, along with higher memory-related gene expressions and greater long-term potentiation in the hippocampus than the subordinates. To validate this correlation across species, through inventory, behavioral and event-related potential studies, we further identified better memory abilities in preschool children with higher social dominance. Better memory potentially helped children in processing dominance facial cues and learning social strategies to acquire higher social positions. Our study shows a remarkable similarity between humans and mice in the association between memory and social hierarchy and provides a new perspective on the social interaction in young with potential implications for preschool education.
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