Week 12 Post 1

Animal Behavior: Social Networks

• Social networks
• Patterns of association between individuals that differ from random patterns
• They have important consequences
• Scientists use social network analysis
• Approach for studying the structuring of the social environment of animals and the consequences it has for individuals
• Individuals = nodes that can be connected
• Spatial associations
• Who initiates the most?
• Can be determined by documenting fights
• Associations can be categorized
• Aggressive
• Friendly
• Neutral
• Social networks structures
• Can determine the spread of disease
• Individual factors
• Age
• Dominance
• Sex
• Personality