Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 12, 2025
06:42
Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
Published on: September 28, 2018
11.8K
Stranger danger: A meta-analysis of the dear enemy hypothesis
Jo A Werba1, Adam Mm Stuckert2, Matthew Edwards3
1Department Ecosystem Sciences and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
Behavioural Processes
|November 24, 2021
Summary
The dear enemy hypothesis is common across species, with territorial animals showing less aggression to neighbors than strangers. Breeding status and taxonomic class influence this behavior, and study methods can affect results.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Ecology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- The dear enemy hypothesis posits reduced aggression towards familiar neighbors compared to unfamiliar intruders.
- While supported in some taxa, a comprehensive synthesis is needed to assess its generality and underlying mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively synthesize existing data on the dear enemy phenomenon.
- To investigate factors influencing its occurrence and magnitude, including experimental design and animal traits.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis was conducted on studies investigating the dear enemy effect.
- Factors examined included intrusion location, experimental setting (field, lab, arena), sex, breeding status, territory type, intrusion stimulus, and taxonomic group.
Main Results:
- The dear enemy phenomenon is widespread.
- Taxonomic class and breeding status significantly correlate with the expression of dear enemy behavior.
- Methodological choices in aggression measurement impact the detection of dear enemy responses.
Conclusions:
- The dear enemy hypothesis is broadly applicable, but its expression varies with species traits and breeding condition.
- Researchers should be mindful of methodological biases when studying this behavior.
- Future research should focus on elucidating the proximate mechanisms driving the dear enemy effect.
Related Concept Videos
04:49Robbers Cave
14.5K
During the 1950s, the landmark Robbers Cave experiment demonstrated that when groups must compete with one another, intergroup conflict, hostility, and even violence may result. At the Oklahoman summer camp, two troops of boys—termed the Rattlers and the Eagles—took part in a week-long tournament. During this time, their negativity culminated in derogatory name-calling, fistfights, and even vandalism and destruction of property. However, this work also revealed that such tension...
14.5K
01:26Causes of Similarity-Dissimilarity Effect
31
The similarity-dissimilarity effect, a fundamental concept in social psychology, explains how interpersonal similarities and differences influence attraction and social interactions. This effect is supported by three key psychological perspectives: balance theory, social comparison theory, and consensual validation.Balance Theory and Cognitive ConsistencyBalance theory, developed by Fritz Heider, posits that individuals seek cognitive consistency in their relationships. When two people share...
31
01:30Combined Effects of Drugs: Antagonism
9.6K
The combined effects of drugs can result in various interactions, of which an important type is antagonism. Antagonism is a mechanism where one drug inhibits or counteracts the effects of another drug. Antagonism can occur through various means, including receptor binding, allosteric modulation, functional interaction, chemical reactions, and pharmacokinetic processes.
The most common type is receptor antagonism, where one drug acts as an antagonist to block the effects of another drug by...
The most common type is receptor antagonism, where one drug acts as an antagonist to block the effects of another drug by...
9.6K
01:09Epistasis Analysis
5.4K
Although Mendel chose seven unrelated traits in peas to study gene segregation, most traits involve multiple gene interactions that create a spectrum of phenotypes. When the interaction of various genes or alleles at different locations influences a phenotype, this is called epistasis. Epistasis often involves one gene masking or interfering with the expression of another (antagonistic epistasis). Epistasis often occurs when different genes are part of the same biochemical pathway. The...
5.4K
01:29Bias in Epidemiological Studies
777
Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is:
777
01:27Confounding in Epidemiological Studies
297
Confounding in statistical epidemiology represents a pivotal challenge, referring to the distortion in the perceived relationship between an exposure and an outcome due to the presence of a third variable, known as a confounder. This variable is associated with both the exposure and the outcome but is not a direct link in their causal chain. Its presence can lead to erroneous interpretations of the exposure's effect, either exaggerating or underestimating the true association. This...
297