Research indicates that developing social bonds between group-living animals is a slow process
Building friendships in the animal kingdom is not a simple and quick transaction. Recent research reveals that the development of social bonds takes time with a gradual build-up of mutually beneficial interactions.
A team of researchers from Stockholm University and the University of Neuchâtel unveils intriguing research concerning the evolution of social bonds and cooperation between animals living in social groups. The research findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Social bonds in group-living animals
Social bonds are important in group-living animals such as chimpanzees, elephants, bats, and more. Securing strong bonds means better child care. For instance, female elephants care for each other's young, giving younger females a chance to learn from more experienced mothers, and maximising the survival of calves through group babysitting.
Food sharing is another advantage of developing social bonds. Chimpanzees are known to share food from a successful hunt with other chimpanzees that they favor to improve their welfare and reduce conflict. Aside from sharing food, grooming improves the strength of social bonds between animals and reduces the presence of pests/parasites residing within the hair or on the skin. Such pest control can enhance health for individuals and for the entire group.
Cooperative and altruistic behaviour
Strong social bonds can manifest in cooperative behaviour for the benefit of animal groups and/or in altruistic behaviour, where a small sacrifice from one individual can assist the individual they are bonded to. Regarding game theory models, the development and establishment of social bonds that foster cooperation means a “winning strategy” in the game of survival.
‘The importance of social cohesion’
The study's findings indicate that social bonds develop slowly through a history of mutually beneficial interactions (which promotes strong social bonding) within friendship groups.
The development of social bonds can occur in small or larger groups depending on the level of interaction possible between individuals and bonded partners comprising smaller subgroups. The study highlighted that bonded groups do not just keep to themselves but actively seek out other non-group members to develop social bonds with, expanding their friendship group.
“How group members interact with new individuals is much discussed, and recently the idea that friendships with new individuals will develop only very slowly has been emphasised. Our analysis suggests that this need not be the case”, says Olof Leimar, Professor Emeritus at Stockholm University’s Department of Zoology.
The researchers hope that their work lays the foundations for future research concerning the development of new social bonds, which will advance the scientific community’s understanding of how friendship and cooperation evolved amongst animals living in groups.