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Group size and social conflict in complex societies
Sheng-Feng Shen1, Erol Akçay, Dustin R Rubenstein
1Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan.
The American Naturalist
|January 28, 2014
Summary
Social conflict in animal groups is not always a cost of larger group sizes. The relationship between conflict and group size depends on the benefits animals gain from group living, such as sociality or resource access.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Behavioral Ecology
- Theoretical Ecology
Background:
- Conflicts over resources and reproduction are often assumed to incur universal costs in social groups.
- Empirical studies on the relationship between social conflict and group size have yielded inconsistent results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a theoretical model predicting how social conflict varies with group size.
- To investigate the influence of different types of grouping benefits on this relationship.
Main Methods:
- A mathematical model was developed to explore the dynamics of social conflict in relation to group size.
- The model generated alternative predictions based on whether groups primarily provide social benefits or access to defended resources.
Main Results:
- A positive correlation between social conflict and group size is favored when groups are formed for social benefits.
- This positive relationship is not supported when groups form mainly to access defended resources.
Conclusions:
- Increased social conflict is not an automatic consequence of larger animal social groups.
- Understanding the specific benefits driving group formation is crucial for explaining patterns of social conflict and the evolution of sociality.
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