Social behavior

• Social relationships


  Can be observed in more advanced forms of progeny care. A prerequisite for this is a genetically existing association predisposition, social attraction.
• Temporary compaction


  • The simplest form of social relations
  • E.g. Migratory bird migration, School of fish
• Open communities


  • Communities that vary in size and vary widely
• Closed communities


  • Individuals are held together by a strong social affection
• Family


  • 2 generations
  • Vertebrate-like social ensemble of parents and progeny
  • Short-term, after rearing the brood, it disbands
• Extended family


  • If, after rearing the juveniles, the "company" is not divided
  • >2 generations
  • Sometimes siblings help raise the 3rd generation
  • E.g. rats
• Colony


  • If there are several families in one area
  • E.g. ant, bee
  • Insect states: caste system
• Ranking in the community


  In closed communities, individuals know each other, form ranks. Struggles = animal aggression. ONLY against one's own conspecific, often just an indication of strength is enough. The loser takes a submission pose.
• Personal space


  • Personal space is still needed by animals living in groups, the size of which varies from species to species.
  • Body contact tolerant: wild boar
  • Intolerant of body contact: at some point they distract the "intruder"
• Territory


  • Land expropriated that is used exclusively for the subsistence of an individual or group, the size of which depends on the size of the animal.
  • Territorial aggression = expelling the invader from the territory (ritual)