Communicative complexity relates to social complexity, as individuals in more complex social systems either use more signals or more complex signals than individuals living in less complex ones. ...Taking the individual group member's perspective, here we examine communicative complexity in relation to social complexity, which arises from two components of social systems: social structure and social organization. We review the concepts of social relationships and social complexity and evaluate their implications for communicative and cognitive complexity using examples from primate species. We focus on spider monkeys (
Ateles geoffroyi
), as their social organization is characterized by flexibility in grouping dynamics and they use a variety of communicative signals. We conclude that no simple relationship exists among social complexity, communicative complexity and cognitive complexity, with social complexity not necessarily implying cognitive complexity, and communicative and cognitive complexity being independently linked to social complexity. To better understand the commonly implied link between social complexity and cognitive complexity it is crucial to recognize the complementary role of communicative complexity. A more elaborated communicative toolkit provides the needed flexibility to deal with dynamic and multifaceted social relationships and high variation in fission–fusion dynamics.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Cognition, communication and social bonds in primates’.
Group-living animals need to deal with conflicting interests to maintain cohesion. When the costs of doing so outweigh the benefits, the group may (temporarily) split into two or more subgroups. ...Conflicting interests can concern what activity to pursue or the direction of travel. Temporary group separation is a common feature in species with a high degree of fission-fusion dynamics. We investigated the role activity synchronization played in fission decisions in a spider monkey group living in the Otoch Ma'ax Yetel Kooh Nature Reserve, Yucatan, Mexico. For 21 months, we recorded every fission event occurring in the followed subgroup, as well as the subgroup activity. We classified the activity as 'synchronized' when at least 75% of subgroup members performed the same activity (resting, foraging, socializing or travelling); otherwise, we classified it as 'non-synchronized'. We found that fission events occurred more often when the activity was non-synchronized. In addition, when the activity was synchronized, fission events occurred more often when spider monkeys were travelling than when they were engaged in other subgroup activities. Our findings highlight the role of conflicting interests over the activity to pursue and travel direction in fission decisions.
Vigilance is used to monitor extra-group threats as well as risky group members. We examined whether relationship quality affects vigilance patterns of spider monkeys. We used focal animal sampling ...to collect data on social interactions and individual vigilance of all adults and subadults (N = 22) in a community of well-habituated Geoffroy’s spider monkeys living in the protected area of Otoch Ma’ax Yetel Kooh, Yucatan, Mexico. Through a principal component analysis of seven indices of social interactions, we previously obtained three components of relationship quality, reflecting the levels of compatibility, value, and security. Such components could differentially affect vigilance depending on whether vigilance is directed to extra-group threats or risky group members. We tested whether an individual’s vigilance was affected by (1) the mean level of compatibility, the mean level of value and the mean level of security across subgroup members; (2) the lowest level of compatibility, the lowest level of value, and the lowest level of security with any subgroup member; and (3) the mean level of compatibility, the mean level of value, and the mean level of security with neighbors (i.e., subgroup members within 5 m). We did not find evidence for any effect of compatibility and value; however, security did affect vigilance, as individuals were more vigilant when they had a less secure relationship with the subgroup member with the lowest level of security or with the average neighbor.
Sociality exists in an extraordinary range of ecological settings. For individuals to accrue the benefits associated with social interactions, they are required to maintain a degree of spatial and ...temporal coordination in their activities, and make collective decisions. Such coordination and decision-making has been the focus of much recent research. However, efforts largely have been directed toward understanding patterns of collective behaviour in relatively stable and cohesive groups. Less well understood is how fission-fusion dynamics mediate the process and outcome of collective decisions making. Here, we aim to apply established concepts and knowledge to highlight the implications of fission-fusion dynamics for collective decisions, presenting a conceptual framework based on the outcome of a small-group discussion INCORE meeting (funded by the European Community's Sixth Framework Programme). First, we discuss how the degree of uncertainty in the environment shapes social flexibility and therefore the types of decisions individuals make in different social settings. Second, we propose that the quality of social relationships and the energetic needs of each individual influence fission decisions. Third, we explore how these factors affect the probability of individuals to fuse. Fourth, we discuss how group size and fission-fusion dynamics may affect communication processes between individuals at a local or global scale to reach a consensus or to fission. Finally, we offer a number of suggestions for future research, capturing emerging ideas and concepts on the interaction between collective decisions and fission-fusion dynamics.
Male-male relationships are mostly characterized by competition. However, males also cooperate with one another if socio-ecological conditions are suitable. Due to their male philopatry, the need for ...cooperation in home range defence and high degree of fission-fusion dynamics, spider monkeys provide an opportunity to investigate how male-male interactions are associated with socio-ecological factors, such as the presence of potentially receptive females, the degree of food availability and the likelihood of home range defence. We tested predictions about changes in social interactions between wild spider monkey males in relation to these factors. First, males did not change their interaction patterns when potentially receptive females were in the subgroup compared to when they were absent. Second, males tended to be less tolerant of one another when feeding, but spent more time grooming, in contact and proximity with one another when food availability was lower than when it was higher. Third, males exchanged fewer embraces, spent less time grooming, in proximity and in contact with one another, and spent more time vigilant at the home range boundary area than at other locations. Our findings contribute to the understanding of social flexibility and the importance of considering males in socio-ecological models of any group-living species.
Fission‐Fusion Dynamics Aureli, Filippo; Schaffner, Colleen M.; Boesch, Christophe ...
Current anthropology,
08/2008, Letnik:
49, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Renewed interest in fission‐fusion dynamics is due to the recognition that such dynamics may create unique challenges for social interaction and distinctive selective pressures acting on underlying ...communicative and cognitive abilities. New frameworks for integrating current knowledge on fission‐fusion dynamics emerge from a fundamental rethinking of the term “fission‐fusion” away from its current general use as a label for a particular modal type of social system (i.e., “fission‐fusion societies”). Specifically, because the degree of spatial and temporal cohesion of group members varies both within and across taxa, any social system can be described in terms of the extent to which it expresses fission‐fusion dynamics. This perspective has implications for socioecology, communication, cognitive demands, and human social evolution.
Trichromatic primates have a 'red-green' chromatic channel in addition to luminance and 'blue-yellow' channels. It has been argued that the red-green channel evolved in primates as an adaptation for ...detecting reddish or yellowish objects, such as ripe fruits, against a background of foliage. However, foraging advantages to trichromatic primates remain unverified by behavioral observation of primates in their natural habitats. New World monkeys (platyrrhines) are an excellent model for this evaluation because of the highly polymorphic nature of their color vision due to allelic variation of the L-M opsin gene on the X chromosome. In this study we carried out field observations of a group of wild, frugivorous black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi frontatus, Gray 1842, Platyrrhini), consisting of both dichromats (n = 12) and trichromats (n = 9) in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica. We determined the color vision types of individuals in this group by genotyping their L-M opsin and measured foraging efficiency of each individual for fruits located at a grasping distance. Contrary to the predicted advantage for trichromats, there was no significant difference between dichromats and trichromats in foraging efficiency and we found that the luminance contrast was the main determinant of the variation of foraging efficiency among red-green, blue-yellow and luminance contrasts. Our results suggest that luminance contrast can serve as an important cue in short-range foraging attempts despite other sensory cues that could be available. Additionally, the advantage of red-green color vision in primates may not be as salient as previously thought and needs to be evaluated in further field observations.
We studied mother-infant relationships and infant independence in wild Geoffroy's spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) during the first 3 years of infant life. We used 15-min focal sampling to collect ...data on mother-infant interactions and infant behavior in 12 mother-infant dyads in the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models. Newborns spent almost all their time in proximity and in contact with their mothers. The time infants spent within one-arm reach from the mother decreased with age, and the infant was primarily responsible for maintaining proximity. The time infants spent farther than 8 m from the mother, in independent locomotion, exploration, and proximity with group members other than the mother increased with age. We identified two developmental periods associated with critical milestones of infant independence: the first at 8 to 10 months when independent locomotion and exploration began, and the proportion of time in proximity with group members other than the mother increased and the second at 19 to 21 months when the mother's rejection started, maternal carrying ended and mother's help, in the form of bridging canopy gaps, peaked. Compared with other primate species of similar size, Ateles geoffroyi have an extended dependence period, which could be related to the cognitive and developmental challenges imposed by their socioecological characteristics.
Research on non‐human primates in the endangered tropical dry forest of Sector Santa Rosa (SSR), Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), was launched in 1983 and is now one of the longest running ...studies of primates globally. Such continuous study provides a rare opportunity to ask questions that are only answerable through decades‐long monitoring of these long‐lived monkeys. In turn, the mounting data generated by long‐term study, including knowledge of lifetime reproductive success, familial relatedness, comprehensive behavioral and dietary repertoires, and patterns of inter‐ and intra‐annual variation in forest productivity, provide diverse opportunities to researchers, and facilitate studies that are of shorter duration. Here, we review some of the contributions of our longitudinal research on white‐faced capuchins and Geoffroy's spider monkeys, together with newer studies on mantled howler monkeys. We begin by synthesizing findings from our research on demography, dispersal, social relationships, and reproduction. These life history and social traits interact with their foraging and sensory ecology, which we review next. We end by highlighting how the longitudinal study of primates in Sector Santa Rosa has made direct and indirect contributions to the conservation of the critically endangered dry forest biome and its inhabitants, as well as to education, community, and forest restoration initiatives. In particular, we focus our review on how long‐term research is uniquely positioned to make key contributions spanning different topical areas.
in Spanish is available with online material.
Resumen
El estudio de primates en el bosque tropical seco del Sector Santa Rosa (SSR), Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), Costa Rica, inició en 1983 y se ha convertido en uno de los estudios en primates más largos a nivel mundial. Este estudio continuo ofrece una oportunidad rara de hacer preguntas que sólo se pueden contestar a través de décadas de monitoreo de estos monos de vida larga. A su vez, los datos en constante aumento generados por este estudio de larga duración, como el conocimiento del éxito reproductivo de por vida, la relación familiar, los repertorios conductuales y dietéticos, y los patrones de variación intra e interanual en la productividad del bosque, proporcionan diversas oportunidades a los investigadores y apoyan estudios de menor duración. En este artículo revisamos algunas de las contribuciones de nuestra investigación longitudinal en monos capuchinos de cara blanca y monos arañas de Geoffroy, junto con estudios más recientes en monos aulladores de manto. Comenzamos sintetizando los hallazgos de nuestras investigaciones en demografía, dispersión, relaciones sociales y reproducción. Estos rasgos sociales y de historia de vida interactúan con su ecología sensorial y forrajeo, los cuales revisamos a continuación. Terminamos resaltando cómo el estudio longitudinal de primates en el SSR ha hecho contribuciones directas e indirectas a la conservación del bioma de bosque seco y de sus habitantes, así como a la educación, comunidad, e iniciativas de restauración de este bosque altamente amenazado. En particular, enfocamos esta revisión en cómo investigaciones a largo plazo están en una posición única para hacer contribuciones clave a diferentes áreas del conocimiento.
Long‐term study of capuchin, spider, and howler monkeys in Sector Santa Rosa, ACG, has generated many discoveries about their social lives, ecology, and life histories. Such research continuity provides a rare opportunity to ask questions that are only answerable through decades‐long monitoring of these long‐lived monkeys. Here we review and contextualize some of our research highlights, and comment on how primatology in Santa Rosa has made direct and indirect contributions to the conservation of the critically endangered dry forest biome and its inhabitants, as well as to education, community, and forest restoration initiatives.
Mirror self-recognition (MSR), usually considered a marker of self-awareness, occurs in several species and may reflect a capacity that has evolved in small incremental steps. In line with research ...on human development and building on previous research adopting a gradualist framework, we categorized the initial mirror responses of naïve spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) according to four levels. We compared social, exploratory, contingent and self-exploratory responses to a mirror and faux mirror during three short trials. If spider monkeys respond as most monkey species, we predicted they would perform at level 0, mainly showing social behavior toward their mirror-image. However, because spider monkeys show enhancement of certain cognitive skills comparable to those of great ape species, we predicted that they would perform at level 1a (showing exploratory behavior) or 1b (showing contingent behavior). GLMMs revealed that monkeys looked behind and visually inspected the mirror significantly more in the mirror than the faux mirror condition. Although the monkeys engaged in contingent body movements at the mirror, this trend was not significant. Strikingly, they showed no social behaviors toward their mirror-image. We also measured self-scratching as an indicator of anxiety and found no differences in frequencies of self-scratching between conditions. Therefore, in contrast to most findings on other species, spider monkeys did not treat their image as another monkey during their initial exposure to the mirror. In fact, they reached at least level 1a within minutes of mirror exposure. These responses recommend spider monkeys as good candidates for further explorations into monkey self-recognition.
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