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At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Changes in brain serotonergic activity during hierarchic behavior in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.) are socially induced.

The experiment was performed in two phases. During the first phase (phase 1) the dominance hierarchy was determined in 4 groups of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.), each group consisting of 4 fish. Phase 2 was started by rearranging phase 1 fish into 4 new groups. Group 1 consisted of previously dominant fish and groups 2, 3 and 4 of fish that previously held rank 2, 3 and 4, respectively. After phase 2 telencephalon and brain stem were analyzed with regard to their contents of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), the principle metabolite of 5-HT. No correlation was found between the social rank (measured as dominance index) during phase 1 and the brain serotonergic activity (measured as the ratio 5-HIAA/5-HT) determined after phase 2. However, most important, the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio was significantly correlated with the last experienced social rank, i.e. that acquired during phase 2. These results shows that the difference in brain serotonergic activity between dominant and subordinate fish develops through social interactions. Further, we found that previous subordinate experience inhibited aggressive behavior, an effect which, in the light of available information on stress and 5-HT, could be related to the increase in brain serotonergic activity. We hypothesize that stress induces an increased serotonergic activity which in turn inhibits the neuronal circuitry which mediates aggressive behavior.

Aggression↗
PubMed2002

[Effect of novelty and behavioral stereotype on development of amnesia in mice].

The research was aimed at analysis of interaction of basic behavioural strategy, extinction of information novelty and efficiency of amnesic influence. It is shown that preliminary habituation to the task apparatus prevented development of amnesia, induced detention of the animal in a dangerous compartment in submissive rather than aggressive mice C57BL/6J. The findings suggest that revealed distinctions in effects of pre-exposure on development of amnesia are essentially predetermined by selectivity of extinction of the information novelty specific to a stereotype of behaviour.

Aggression↗
PubMed2003

Sexually dichromatic protogynous angelfish Centropyge ferrugata (Pomacanthidae) males can change back to females.

Protogynous hermaphroditism, female-to-male sex change, is well known among reef fishes where large males monopolize harems of females. When the dominant male disappears from a harem, the largest female may change sex within a few weeks. Recently, from experiments with some protogynous haremic fishes in which two males' cohabitated, it was confirmed that sexual behavior and gonads were completely reversible according to individual social status. However, the ability to reverse secondary-developed sexual body coloration has never been examined in any protogynous fish. We conducted two male cohabitation experiments with the protogynous haremic angelfish, Centropyge ferrugata, which has conspicuous sexual dichromatism on the dorsal fin. Smaller males of C. ferrugata soon performed female-specific mating behaviors when they became subordinated after losing a contest. They then completed gonadal sex change to females 47 or 89 d (n=2) after beginning cohabitation. In the course of the reversed gonadal sex change, male-specific coloration on the dorsal fin changed to that of a female. Thus, the sex of C. ferrugata, including secondary developed sexually dichromatic characteristics, can be completely reversible in accord with their social status.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1975

Effect of postnatal litter size on adult aggression in the laboratory mouse.

Growth, emotionality, food competition, and aggression were examined in mice nursed in litters of 3 or 9 and reared in isolation until testing. Animals from large litters were lighter at weaning and in adulthood and were more emotional in the open field than subjects from small litters. They did not win more food competition tests than subjects from small litters although their consummatory behavior during food competition tests was greater. Subjects from large litters were more aggressive in initial encounters, but over repeated encounters became more submissive. In a 2nd open-field test, emotionality of large-litter subjects was reduced more than that of subjects from small litters. When later placed in group-living cages, subjects from small litters sustained less long term physical assault than subjects from large litters. High correlations were found between the 4 measures of brief aggression.

Aggression↗
PubMed2001

Social status in mice: behavioral, endocrine and immune changes are context dependent.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of social status on the endocrine, immune and behavior response of male mice. We found that in mice reared in a group of siblings since weaning, no difference exists between dominants and subordinates in basal corticosterone level, in behavior in the open-field test (OFT) and in a series of immune parameters. These results suggest that living with siblings is not a stressful condition for either dominant or subordinate mice. Therefore, group-housed siblings can be regarded as a valid control group in social stress studies. When mice were subjected to chronic psychosocial stress for 21 days, four types of social outcome occurred: residents becoming dominants, intruders becoming subordinates, residents becoming subordinates and intruders becoming dominants. Interestingly, the behavioral profile in the OFT revealed a status-dependent effect, with resident dominants (RD) and intruder dominants (InD) showing the highest locomotor and exploratory activity, whereas the corticosterone level was higher than control for all four categories. In addition, a context-dependent effect emerged at the immune level: resident subordinates (RS) had a reduced splenocyte proliferation and IL-4 and IL-10 production. Mice in all the other three social ranks showed no immune alterations. Therefore, the loss of an individual's social rank position seems a promising field of study to investigate the psychological impact of stressful events.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2003

The reproductive choices of eavesdropping female black-capped chickadees, Poecile atricapillus.

In animals where males engage in signalling interactions, females might evaluate male-male contests to inform their reproductive choices. We used interactive playback to engage territorial male black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) of known dominance status in countersinging contests with an aggressive or submissive opponent. Previous analysis of these data showed that high-ranking males who received aggressive playback were more likely to be cuckolded. Here we describe the particular reproductive decisions of females whose partners received aggressive versus submissive playback. The proportion of extra-pair young per brood was higher for females paired to high-ranking males that received aggressive playback compared to submissive playback, and similar to levels in broods of females paired to low-ranking males. We found no strong predictors of whether high-ranking subjects lost paternity following aggressive playback. Females usually preferred extra-pair sires with high dominance status. When females had extra-pair fertilizations with low-ranking males, females chose males who had received submissive playback. We conclude that females mated to aggressive-playback, high-ranking males pursued mixed mating strategies similar to those of females mated to low-ranking males. Our results support the idea that male performance in song contests may influence multiple aspects of female reproductive choices.

Aggression↗
PubMed2006

A comparison of physiological and behavioural parameters in C57BL/6J mice undergoing food or water restriction regimes.

Laboratory animals, when subjected to behavioural tests, are often motivationally primed by a period of prior water or food restriction. To date, it is still debatable which restriction protocol (water versus food) is more appropriate for different species. In general, a protocol is considered appropriate if animal discomfort is kept to a minimum whilst motivation for the task is maximised. Here we present a comparison study of the effects of water versus food restriction protocols in mice. The characterisation of the physiological and behavioural effects of food and water restriction in mice is beneficial for both institutional animal care centres and the scientific community. We have investigated body weight fluctuations in three groups of C57BL/6J female mice (water-restricted, food-restricted and control) in two different protocols (20 h versus 22 h of restriction per day) over 2 consecutive weeks. Subsequently, a selected number of mice from each group were subjected to a battery of behavioural tests to investigate exploratory, emotional and dominance behaviours, in addition to learning and memory processes. Body weight fluctuations suggested that mice tolerate a water restriction regimen better than a comparable food restriction regimen. Furthermore, behavioural performances demonstrated that food-restricted mice show a reduction in the exploration of a new environment and particular aspects of their timing memories are distorted. Finally, both water- and food-restricted mice tended to be more offensive than control mice when paired with an opponent in a social dominance test condition.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2004

Metabolic and endocrine consequences of social stress in a visible burrow system.

The visible burrow system (VBS) is an ethologically relevant model of social stress, which has been used to study the aggression of male rats in a social context. Previous studies using the VBS have established physiological, endocrine, and neurochemical characteristics associated with chronic social stress in dominant and subordinate animals. A critical criterion in establishing an animal model for research is the replication of findings and the independent validation of the model. Here, we independently confirm previously reported findings and include novel control groups that are important in dissociating the effects of chronic social stress from those resulting from group-housing the male rats in an "enriched environment". Furthermore, we show that whereas the VBS model is useful for males, it is not effective for studies of females because they do not form dominance hierarchies when housed in groups. We also extend the use of the VBS model to examine the etiology of stress-induced anorexia and obesity, finding that weight loss in subordinate rats is attributable to decreased adipose and lean tissue, whereas in dominant rats, it is associated only with adipose tissue loss. Consistent with this, the adiposity hormones leptin and insulin are decreased in subordinates and, to a lesser extent, in dominants, compared with the controls. In summary, the VBS model of chronic social stress is an ethologically relevant animal model and provides a valuable tool for studies of stress-related conditions and pathologies.

Aggression↗
PubMed2006

Can the "challenge hypothesis" be applied to insects?

The challenge hypothesis, conceived for testosterone and vertebrates, has recently been applied to juvenile hormone (JH) and insects. Scott [Scott, M.P., 2006a. Resource defense and juvenile hormone: the "challenge hypothesis" extended to insects. Horm. Behav. 49, 276-281] found that JH in the burying beetle Nicrophorus orbicollis increased in response to a social challenge in the presence of a breeding resource, while there was no such JH response in the purported brood parasite Nicrophorus pustulatus. Two important implications of the challenge hypothesis that need to be tested are whether JH affects dominance and why there are interspecific differences in the JH response to a social challenge. The effect of JH on dominance in burying beetles was examined by topical application of JH III to one of two competing females at 24 h and again at 1 h prior to presentation of a breeding resource (mouse carcass). JH supplementation had no effect on dominance in intraspecific interactions in N. orbicollis, as measured by possession of the carcass on Day 1, 3 or 7. Similarly, JH did not alter carcass ownership during competition between N. orbicollis and N. pustulatus nor did it affect reproductive success. Irrespective of JH supplementation, N. pustulatus became increasingly dominant as the trials progressed, rarely occupying the carcass on Day 1, but excluding N. orbicollis in nearly half the trials by Day 7. These findings, and a brief review of the burying beetle literature, suggest that the challenge hypothesis, as applied to testosterone and vertebrates, does not yet have an analogous model for JH and insects.

Aggression↗
PubMed2003

Effects of alternative social experience on the sexual function of male mice.

The relevance of the social contact test "Wall" for evaluation of sexual motivation of male mice was tested and confirmed. Motivation of C57BL/6J male mice with alternative social experience (winners and victims in 10 and 20 daily male-male confrontations) was evaluated. Elevated primary sexual interest was detected in aggressive animals after 10 confrontations, while in submissive animals this interest was decreased; however after 20 confrontations sexual motivation in both groups was characterized by rapid exhaustion and low basal level of testosterone. Hence, the sexual function of male mice is inhibited under conditions of long social conflicts irrespective of previous experience of victories or defeats in male-male confrontations.

Aggression↗
PubMed1975

Social position and competition in laboratory rats.

Two experiments with rats as subjects are described, which control for social position, i.e., relative dominance/submission, in an appetitive social learning-performance setting. The results indicate that animals that perform quite effectively when alone exhibit significantly reduced levels of responding when placed into a social environment. The severity of the response decrement is, at least in part, a function of the relative social position of the subjects involved. A dominant male made few responses when paired with another dominant male. Yet, a dominant subject made even fewer responses when paired with a submissive subject, which bar pressed at approximately half the individual level. These findings are interpreted as suggesting that social position, with its accompanying characteristic form of aggression, is an important determinant of performance in a social learning environment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1978

Therapy of isolate Rhesus: different partners and social behavior.

36 monkeys from 3 different rearing conditions were subdivided into 3 groups and then paired daily for 20 weeks either with others that were (a) socially sophisticated 9-month-old monkeys; (b) partial isolates, reared alone from birth for 9 months; or (c) socially naive 3-month-old infant monkeys. When 12 9-month-old partial isolates were thus split and tested, social play was greater in isolates paired with sophisticated therapists and least in isolates paired with isolate therapists. Fear showed the reverse pattern. Hostility was greatest in those infants, isolates, and sophisticates when paired with isolates and least in all groups when paired with infants. Of the nonisolate groups the infants were affected by their pairing the most, showing reduced social play when paired with the isolates, but increasing play when with sophisticates. Evidence is found against a learning or instrumental model of aggression production, and a novel theory is advanced suggesting that infants are genetically predisposed to acquire specific behavioral characteristics shown by the mother.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Head nurse leadership style with staff nurse burnout and job satisfaction in neonatal intensive care units.

Leadership style has been defined as a two-factor construct composed of "consideration" and "initiating structure." Research has suggested that these factors affect the behavior and attitude of subordinates. This study's purpose was to quantify the relationships of head nurse leadership style with self-reported staff nurse burnout and job satisfaction in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Three instruments--the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Tedium Scale, and the Leadership Opinion Questionnaire--were voluntarily completed by 283 registered nurses employed by 14 level-III NICUs in the United States. The leadership dimensions of consideration and structure were distinct (r = -.10). Staff nurse satisfaction and burnout were related (r = -.41). Head nurse consideration was clearly related to staff nurse satisfaction (r = -.55) and to a lesser extent to burnout (r = -.29). Initiating structure alone was not related to satisfaction or burnout. Aggregate perceptions of head nurse leadership were ranked across NICUs in order to classify the head nurses on consideration and structure. The 14 head nurses were separated into four groups: high consideration-high structure, high consideration-low structure, low consideration-high structure, and low consideration-low structure. Satisfaction and burnout of staff nurses in each of the leadership-style groups were then compared. Analysis of variance for satisfaction (F(3,279) = 3.10, p = .03) and burnout (F(3,279) = 3.90, p = .01) were both significant. For both satisfaction and burnout, the head nurse leadership classification of low consideration-high structure was most deviant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1983

Role perceptions and behavior of the immediate superior: moderating effects on the prediction of leadership effectiveness.

The relationship between role conflict or role ambiguity and behavior of the immediate superior is investigated. It is hypothesized that behaviors which are associated with subordinates' role perceptions will moderate the relationship between subordinates' ability and their performance. First- and second-level leaders were asked to provide data on their job attitudes, co-worker relations, and experience. Respondents were also given a short test of intelligence, and their job performance was rated by knowledgeable superiors. Results show that boss behavior creating role conflict for first-level leaders was a significant moderator for these leaders' ability and performance correlations. For second-level leaders, boss behavior which created role ambiguity was a significant moderator of ability and performance correlations. It is concluded that experience has a positive relationship with performance when stress is high and that intelligence has a positive relationship with performance only when stress is low. It is further argued that stress with the boss is best described as behavior which leads to role conflict and ambiguity for subordinates in leadership positions. Implications for role theory and leadership theory are discussed.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMed2001

Sexual and aggressive interactions in a visible burrow system with provisioned burrows.

The visible burrow system (VBS) is a habitat providing burrows and an open area for mixed-set rat colonies. Provisioning of food and water in the burrows makes it unnecessary for potentially defensive animals to leave the burrows to eat/drink on the surface, and enables evaluation of new types of agonistic interactions that may emerge when this necessity is removed. In such colonies, subordinate males showed high magnitude tunnel guarding behavior, occupying a tunnel opening onto the surface and confronting the dominant. Dominants, in response, made lunges into the tunnels, but quickly retreated without gaining entry, apparently stopped by contact with the defender's vibrissae. Dominants also made and continued to make lateral attacks to the wall adjacent to the tunnels guarded by subordinates, although these were useless in terms of affording contact with the subordinate. Dominant-female agonistic interactions were more frequent than those of dominants and subordinates. These were largely initiated by the male, and involved female defensive behavior. Nonetheless, females, unlike subordinates, failed to show tunnel guarding and continued to utilize the surface freely. They also spent more time in the vicinity of the dominant over days of colony formation. This apparent paradox may reflect that females were seldom wounded, and that the initial site of male contact with females was the female's anogenital area, findings suggesting that interactions of males and females often reflect male sexual advances, countered by female defenses that effectively protect nonestrus females from mounting and copulation.

Aggression↗