Social Behavior

Social behaviour ranges from simple attraction between individuals to life in complex societies characterized by   division of labour ,   cooperation ,   altruism , and a great many individuals aiding the   reproduction   of a relative few. The most widely recognized forms of social behaviour, however, involve interaction within aggregations or groups of individuals. Social behaviours, their adaptive value, and their underlying mechanisms are of primary interest to scientists in the fields of   animal behaviour , behavioral ecology,   evolutionary psychology , and   biological anthropology .

Aggressive behavior often occurs when individuals compete for the same resources. Animals may compete for territory,   water , food, or mates. There are two basic types of competition: intraspecific and interspecific. Intraspecific competition  occurs between members of the same species. For example, two male deer may compete for mates by clashing their antlers together. Interspecific competition  occurs between members of different species. For example, one species of ant may attack and take over the colony of another ant species.

  Communication For individuals to cooperate, they need to  communicate . Animals can communicate with sounds, chemicals, or visual cues. For example, to communicate with sounds,  birds sing and frogs croak. Both may be communicating that they are good mates. Ants communicate with chemicals called  pheromones . For example, they use the chemicals to mark trails to food sources so other ants can find them. Male dogs use pheromones in urine to mark their territory. They are “telling” other dogs to stay out of their yard. 

  Different types of behavior evolved in  animals  because the behaviors helped them survive or reproduce. In many  species , animals live together in a close-knit group with other members of their species. Such a group is referred to as a  society .  Animals that live in a society are known as  social animals . They live and work together for the good of the group. This is called  cooperation .  Playing or fighting? This display of aggression may be over a mate or land. But they definitely are not playing. This fight will continue until one is badly injured and flees, or the fight may continue to the death