Assessment during Intergroup Contests

Green, P.A.; Briffa, Mark; Cant, Michael A.

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2020.09.007

Cited by 15 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 102 publications

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“…As the size of the focal group increased, the proportion of group members approaching the stimulus and behavioural homogeneity decreased. Previous research has shown that banded mongoose groups with more members have a competitive advantage over groups with fewer members (Cant et al, 2002), a finding that is common to many taxa that engage in intergroup conflict (Green et al, 2020). However, if greater investment in collective defence enhances competitive success, small, yet more aggressive, groups may be able to overcome a group size disadvantage, leading to selection on individuals in smaller groups to invest more in collective defensive.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We predicted that smaller groups would show increased collective defence and behavioural homogeneity than larger groups because smaller groups may be at a competitive disadvantage as compared to larger groups (Cant et al, 2002), but increased investment in defence and/or increased homogeneity might increase the success of smaller groups (Green et al, 2020). (Webster & Rutz, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Intergroup conflict, in which stable social groups of two or more individuals compete over access to limited resources like territory or food, is widespread (Green et al, 2020). Intergroup conflict (also termed between‐group conflict, intergroup contests and intergroup contest competition) can result in costs to group members, including the death of adults and young (Batchelor & Briffa, 2011; Thompson et al, 2017; Wrangham et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Collective defence and behavioural homogeneity during simulated territorial intrusions in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo)

et al. 2021

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Conflicts between stable social groups ("intergroup conflicts") can be damaging and exert a strong influence on within-group social behaviour. The success of groups during intergroup conflict may depend on the ability of individual group members to converge upon collective defence behaviour, such as approaching or attacking.In principle, collective defence can be achieved via a united front, in which each individual responds in the same way to an intergroup threat. We tested the impact of simulated intergroup conflicts on collective defence and individual behaviour in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo), a cooperatively breeding mammal in which intergroup conflict is particularly common and costly. We presented focal groups with scent markings, call playbacks and caged live animals from rival groups and compared their responses to these stimuli with their responses to own-group control stimuli. A greater proportion of group members approached the stimulus and acted defensively in response to rival stimuli as compared to controls, consistent with a unified collective defence response. However, counter to our expectation, groups exhibited lower behavioural homogeneity when presented with rival stimuli as compared to controls.A closer examination of the behaviours competitors used revealed that lower homogeneity was driven by a greater use, and diversity, of defensive behaviours relevant to repelling simulated rivals. Finally, group size affected responses: as group size increased, the proportion of members approaching the stimulus and behavioural homogeneity decreased. Our results lend support to the hypothesis that intergroup conflict leads to coordinated collective defence behaviour during the immediate threat of an intergroup conflict. However, collective defence need not mean that all group members execute the same behaviours.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Collective defence and behavioural homogeneity during simulated territorial intrusions in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo)

et al. 2021

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“…At first blush, the mutually reinforcing relationship between affiliation and oxytocin may appear antagonistic to the possibility that oxytocin prepares individuals for participation in hostile group conflict with conspecifics. However, for group conflict to be won, or not lost, individuals within rivalling groups need to contribute to their group's fighting capacity at some personal cost (figure 2) (also see [2,[5][6][7]70,71]). Making such costly contributions serves the group and can thus be seen as a form of pro-social behaviour towards one's ingroup.…”

Section: Oxytocin and Participation In Group Conflictmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxytocin has ‘tend-and-defend’ functionality in group conflict across social vertebrates

Triki

Daughters

Dreu

2022

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Across vertebrate species, intergroup conflict confronts individuals with a tension between group interests best served by participation in conflict and personal interest best served by not participating. Here, we identify the neurohormone oxytocin as pivotal to the neurobiological regulation of this tension in distinctly different group-living vertebrates, including fishes, birds, rodents, non-human primates and humans. In the context of intergroup conflict, a review of emerging work on pro-sociality suggests that oxytocin and its fish and birds homologues, isotocin and mesotocin, respectively, can elicit participation in group conflict and aggression. This is because it amplifies (i) concern for the interests of genetically related or culturally similar ‘in-group’ others and (ii) willingness to defend against outside intruders and enemy conspecifics. Across a range of social vertebrates, oxytocin can induce aggressive behaviour to ‘tend-and-defend’ the in-group during intergroup contests. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Intergroup conflict across taxa’.

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“…However, for group conflict to be won, or not lost, individuals within rivalling groups need to contribute to their group's fighting capacity at some personal cost (Fig. 2) (also see [2,[5][6][7]69,70]). Making such costly contributions serves the group and can thus be seen as a form of pro-social behaviour towards one's in-group.…”

Section: Oxytocin and Participation In Group Conflictmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxytocin has ‘Tend-and-Defend’ Functionality in Group Conflict Across Social Vertebrates

Triki¹,

Daughters²,

Dreu³

2021

Preprint

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Across vertebrate species, intergroup conflict confronts individuals with a tension between group interests best served by participation in conflict and personal interest best served by not participating. Here, we identify the neurohormone oxytocin as pivotal to the neurobiological regulation of this tension in distinctly different group-living vertebrates, including fish, birds, rodents, non-human primates, and humans. In the context of intergroup conflict, a review of emerging work on pro-sociality suggests that oxytocin and its fish and birds homologs, isotocin and mesotocin, respectively, can elicit participation in group conflict and aggression. This is because it amplifies (i) concern for the interests of genetically related or culturally similar ‘in- group’ others, and (ii) willingness to defend against outside intruders and enemy conspecifics. Across a range of social vertebrates, oxytocin can induce aggressive behaviour to ‘tend-and- defend’ the in-group during intergroup contests.

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Assessment during Intergroup Contests

Cited by 15 publications

References 102 publications

Collective defence and behavioural homogeneity during simulated territorial intrusions in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo)

Collective defence and behavioural homogeneity during simulated territorial intrusions in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo)

Oxytocin has ‘tend-and-defend’ functionality in group conflict across social vertebrates

Oxytocin has ‘Tend-and-Defend’ Functionality in Group Conflict Across Social Vertebrates

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