The Development of Social Interaction, Play, and Metacommunication in Mammals: An Ethological Perspective

Abstract

Analysis of the dynamics of the ontogeny of social interaction is of critical importance in order that behavioral development may be comprehended in its own right, and the relationship between infant and adult behavior understood. In this review, general concepts of behavioral development in mammals are discussed and analyzed, and the many variables that are involved are considered. When it is impossible to control or observe the social interaction of the developing organism in its natural environment, captive subjects should be used. There is increasing evidence that results obtained with the latter are related to social organization observed in the wild. Play behavior is operationally defined on the basis of a comprehensive review of the literature and of personal observations of the social development of canids. The essential "'need" for social interaction during infant life is discussed, as is the phenomenon of behavioral neoteny. The concept of metacommunication, and its relationship to social development are analyzed, and the role of ritualization in the evolution of metacommunicative signals is considered. GENERAL CONCEPTS OF BEHAVIORAL ONTOGENY

An Ethogram Developed on Captive Eastern Coyotes <em>Canis latrans</em>

“…Any of these categories could always be lumped together or put into different or new categories if the need arose -but the opposite cannot occur if the behaviours are not split into discrete actions at the outset (Bekoff 1972b). For example, SIT1 Alt and SIT1 Alt Pt were very similar except for the panting involved.…”

“…However, data could always be lumped together (i.e., into general behavioural systems or ≥2 behavioural patterns could potentially be combined into one action) if the data/list are unmanageably large (e.g., when studying wild Coyotes). The disadvantage of merging behaviours into more broad groupings is that parent categories or lumped behavioural patterns can never be split back into more distinct behavioural patterns if not done at the outset; as Bekoff (1972b) indicated, this would cause data to be irreversibly lost.…”

Reproductive endocrinology of zoo-housed aardwolves

“…Numerous studies have demonstrated that captivity can adversely affect an animal's behaviour and physiology (reviewed in Lindburg and FitchSnyder 1994; Carlstead 1996; Estep and Dewsbury 1996), and lack of exposure to an appropriate social environment may disrupt the ability to correctly respond physiologically to environmental changes (Meier 1965;Bekoff 1972;Marchlewska-Koj 1997;Tilbrook et al 2000; Blanchard et al 2001;Lovic et al 2006). We suspect that long term isolation caused one of the males to lose the ability to respond appropriately to environmental cues and hence time his peak in fA concentrations to periods of peak oestrus activity in females.…”

Social and Play Behavior in a Wild Eastern Coyote, <em>Canis latrans</em>, Pack

“…Although not exclusively a mammalian trait, play is an important social activity for mammals, and especially for carnivores (Bekoff 1972a(Bekoff , b, 1989Ewer 1973;Rennicke 2007). It is characterized by (1) friendly, non-aggressive (or amiable) intentions; (2) more energy than is strictly necessary; and (3) a typical air of eagerness, excitement, and enjoyment during interactions (Ewer 1973;Bekoff 1974aBekoff , b, 1989.…”