Social experience can modify the behavior of adult animals, and this type of behavioral plasticity associated with territorial aggression has been observed in several species including green anole lizards. Previously dominant animals were more aggressive to a novel stimulus in a new context than previously subordinate animals after 10 days of agonistic interaction. This behavioral shift could be beneficial to an animal by increasing survival and/or reproductive success to maximize its fitness. Behavioral modification through social experience can involve alteration in some physiological properties such as variations in hormone titer and hormone receptors. Steroid hormones such as testosterone (T) and corticosterone (Cort) and neurotrasmitters such as arginine vasotocin (AVT) are well known for their association with territorial aggression. Hormonal mechanisms underlying the control of this behavior are, however, context dependent, temporally dynamic, and evolutionarily very diverse. I performed experiments aimed at gaining insights into the proximate mechanisms underlying status-dependent behavioral differences in territorial aggression. First, steroid binding globulins of green anole lizards were analyzed and the presence of androgen-glucocorticoid binding globulins and sex-hormone binding globulins (SHBG) was established. Next, status differences in steroid hormone levels and the temporal pattern of hormone changes were assessed. We found that winners/dominants had elevated total T levels shortly after the onset of fighting and reduced SHBG after 10 days of agonistic interaction. These changes seemed to cause sustained increases in free T levels in winners/dominants throughout 10 days of agonistic interactions. Then, androgen receptor (AR) mRNA density levels were compared in dominant and subordinate animals. The result showed that the preoptic area (POA) and anterior hypothalamus AR mRNA density levels were higher in dominants than subordinates shortly after the agonistic interaction. Lastly, AVT immunoreactive cell counts were compared in dominant and subordinate animals. We found that subordinate animals had reduced AVT immunoreactive cell counts in the POA compared to that of dominants or control males. Findings from this dissertation suggest possible mechanisms that might be responsible for status dependent behavioral differences in territorial aggression: elevation in T and reduction in SHBG capacity, and sustained elevation of AVT immunoreactive cell counts in the POA. / text

This MA Report explores existing literature pertaining to three aspects of politics during or directly following crises in the United States: state-building, suppression or expansion of civil liberties, and enduring alterations to the American social hierarchy. While acknowledging the many insights of all three areas of literature, the Report argues that literature on state-building is too concentrated on formal, top-down explanations. As a result, it neglects the crucial dependence state-building has on aspects, such as the active participation of civil society groups. The Report further argues that political science’s absence from research literature on civil liberties during crises needs to end. The abundance of legal and historical accounts on this subject offers a wealth of descriptive insights. However, they fail to offer causal explanations for why crises have such an inconsistent and dynamic impact on civil liberties. Finally, research over the impact of crises on American social hierarchies needs to move away from assuming social groups’ interests a priori. Instead, scholars should attempt to unearth what these interests actually were among these groups within the historical context given, looking specifically to the discursive contests among social groups as they attempt to frame crises in advantageous ways. / text

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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2006. / "December 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 23-27). Online version available on the World Wide Web. Library also has microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich. : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [2006]. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.

Long-term studies are important for understanding the intricacies of population dynamics over time. Self-recruitment and social hierarchy are valuable tools to quantify the rates at which populations change. In mutualistic symbiosis, where two species benefit from the relationship, different selective pressures and life histories can have unintended consequences on the population dynamics of both species. Anemonefish live in a sized-based hierarchy where individuals queue to be part of the breeding pair (ranks 1 and 2). They have a mutualistic association with their host anemone; the identity of the anemone can impact their growth and fecundity. However, there is limited knowledge on the anemone lifespan and its site persistence over time. Here, we investigate rank changes and self-recruitment in Amphiprion percula and persistence in a common host anemone, Stichodactyla gigantea, on the remote island of Kimbe Island in Papua New Guinea. The populations of A. percula (n = 1,530) and their local host anemones, S. gigantea (n = 290) and Heteractis magnifica (n = 174), were sampled exhaustively in 2011 and 2019. Using DNA profiling, I determined the fate of individuals between years. We found that 21% of the A. percula population survived over the eight-year time gap compared to the 69% survival of the associated S. gigantea population in a six-year time gap. Half of the surviving A. percula individuals increased in rank and exhibited faster growth rates living on S. gigantea compared to H. magnifica. Self-recruitment was high in both years, 47% in 2011 and 39% in 2019, with one individual returning to its natal anemone. Our findings provide rare insights into one of the most charismatic symbiotic relationships in the marine environment such as the first documentation of longevity in a host anemone.

Orientador: Mateus José Rodrigues Paranhos da Costa / Resumo: Agressão pós-mistura de lotes e na disputa por recursos entre marrãs e matrizes alojadas em grupos são importantes problemas associados a este sistema. Apesar da ordem de alimentação ser amplamente utilizada como parâmetro para caracterizar a hierarquia social nestes animais, esta medida ainda carece maior fundamentação científica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de entender as conexões sociais e a organização social de matrizes e marrãs criadas em sistema de gestação coletiva, de maneira a validar a ordem de alimentação como medida para determinação da hierarquia social. Um total de 113 matrizes e marrãs foram estudadas por quatro ciclos observacionais em um sistema de gestação coletiva equipado com alimentador automatizado. A cada 30 dias um grupo de 12 animais era substituído por novas marrãs. Um ranking de ordem de alimentação (FO) foi construído para cada ciclo observacional de acordo com o horário em que cada indivíduo se alimentou. Então, as primeiras quatro marrãs do ranking (FG1), quatro intermediárias (FG 2) e as quatro últimas (FG 3), foram selecionadas para testes diádicos, totalizando 12 marrãs selecionadas por ciclo. Nos últimos três dias de cada ciclo, comportamentos agonísticos e outros comportamentos foram observados. A frequência média de cada comportamento à entrada do comedouro foi calculada, separando-se em "Entrou" e "Não Entrou" e dividindo-se os comportamentos em três categorias: "Contato Unilateral", "Sem Contato" e "Contato Bilateral". Foi utilizado ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Post-mixing aggression and aggression over resources between group housed sows and gilts are major issues associated with such systems. Although feeding order is a widely used parameter to characterize social hierarchy of these animals, it still lacks scientific background. Thus, the objective of this research was to understand the social connections and the dynamics involving the social organization of sows and gilts in a group housing gestation system in order to validate feeding order as a reliable and sufficient parameter for determining social hierarchy. A total of 113 sows and gilts (Yorkshire x Landrace) were studied over four observational cycles under a dynamic group housing gestation system equipped with an electronic sow feeder. Every 30 days a group of approximately 12 sows or gilts was replaced. Feeding time of each sow/gilt was collected and a feeding order ranking was built for each cycle. Then, the first four of them in the ranking (feeding group 1), four from the middle (feeding group 2), and the last four (feeding group 3), were selected for dyadic tests, totalizing 12 selected gilts per cycle. Agonistic and other behaviors at the feeder entrance in the last three days of each cycle were analyzed. The average frequency of each behavior at the entrance of the feeder was calculated, separating into successful and unsuccessful entrances and dividing behaviors into three categories: “Unilateral Contact”, “No Contact” and “Bilateral Interaction”. PROC GLIMMIX in ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Agonistic behavior and dominance are described for captive Townsend's chipmunks (Eutamias townsendii). A total of 10,739 encounters was recorded; 644l (59.9%) were agonistic. Chases (58.5%) and displacements (30.8%) were the predominant agonistic behaviors; threats (6.8%) and fights (4.l%) were relatively rare. Stable, non-triangular hierarchies were rapidly established in 11 of the 12 groups of chipmunks observed; the presence of individuals of equal rank in some groups precluded strict linearity. Dominance positions did not change within a group, but reversals in rank and changes from equal to dominant-subordinate reltionships occurred when the mebership of groups was changed. One hierarchy existed for both sexes; neither sex was consistently dominant. Experience and individual differences in activity and aggresiveness were more important determinants of an animal's position than were sex or size. No correlation was found between rank and encounter frequency, nor was closeness of rank strongly correlated with high numbers of agonistic encounters between any two chipmunks. The frequencies of recognitory and sexual behavior were inversely related to the frequency of agonistic behavior between the pairs of animals. Ritualized throats and appeasement behaviors did not replace overt aggression in established hierarchies. Members of hierarchies showed neither a reduction in numbers of asonistic encounters, nor temporal changes in froquency of the different types of agonistic behavior. Agonistic encounters increased in frequency from August to December, but seasonal variations wore much smaller than variations among the groups. Although dominance reduced neither the frequency of agonistic behavior nor the time and energy spent in chasing, it nay be advantageous in curtailing harmful confrontations and enhancing the establishment of tolerance among some individuals.

The relationship between measures of temperament, growth performance, and social hierarchy in finishing beef cattle were explored in two experiments. In experiment 1, high OCS (objective chute score) steers had periods of significantly higher ADG (P < 0.01), but OCS had no relationship with dominance ranking (P > 0.47). Conversely, slow exit velocity (EV) correlated with higher ranking (P ≤ 0.06), but EV had no relationship with performance (P > 0.37) in a competitive environment. Rank showed no relationship with performance (P > .58). In experiment 2, steers with fast EV had periods of decreased growth (P ≤ .06), intake (P ≤ .06), and gain:feed (G:F; P = 0.02). There were no interactions between EV, OCS, and monensin or between EV and monensin. Monensin and EV together, however, significantly impacted overall (days 0 – end) G:F (P = 0.02) and gain (P = 0.05). Overall, these studies further confirm the idea that EV affects performance as does OCS in concert with monensin. Moreover, it further confirms that different measures of temperament correlated to different aspects of performance and should not be lumped together under the general term “temperament” when describing its relationship with performance.

Efetuamos uma aproximação (nem tanto exaustiva, mas buscando certos fundamentos e dissensões em cada caso) entre a enorme produção da sociologia francesa sobre o tema juventude e o aumento mais recente dos debates e publicações nesse domínio de pesquisa no Brasil. Muitas questões adensaram-se diante de nós, o que contribuiu para delinearmos o passo seguinte da investigação: o fortalecimento de um paradigma individualista em segmentos da sociologia, significativamente atrelado às manifestações juvenis contemporâneas. A partir de dois estudos de caso realizados no estado de Goiás, com vinte jovens de classes populares, destacamos, contudo, que, em se tratanto de sociedades mais hierarquizadas, como a brasilera, cujos processos históricos mais específicos forjaram, nos meandros da lei, das instituições e das percepções sociais, uma modalidade específica de indivíduo, o indivíduo restrito, pautada em um conceito igualmente estreito de cidadania, é necessário ponderar os problemas e as dificuldades de se limitar a análise sociológica aos artefatos subjetivos, sob o risco de se perder de vista a interdependência imanente entre o todo e as partes. Para isso, concentramos a reflexão nas vicissitudes do mercado de trabalho, seus antigos e novos percalços, sua configuração mais recente em cada contexto. Essa dimensão, central quando se trata das novas gerações, expõe mais diretamente os conflitos sociais prementes, forçando outras considerações sobre as trajetórias biográficas, opiniões, experiências e percepções individuais. Por essa via, pensamos ser possível, então, expor os nexos entre os inúmeros indivíduos, com vistas a compreender e a problematizar a intricada paisagem encoberta pela reclusão analítica nas unidades sociais. / We approach (not so exhaustively, but looking for some fundations and divisions in each case) the massive production of French sociology on \"youth\" and the latest increase of debates and publications in this field of research in Brazil. Many questions thickened in front of us, which helped to shape the next step of the research: the strengthening of an \"individualistic\" paradigm in segments of sociology significantly linked to juvenile contemporary manifestations. From two case studies conducted in the state of Goiás, with twenty young people from lower social classes, we emphasize, however, that it is necessary to consider the problems and the difficulties in limiting the sociological analysis to the subjective artifacts, at the risk of losing sight of the inherent interdependence between \"whole\" and \"parts\". And this especially for the case of more hierarchical societies, such as Brazil, which forged in its specific historical processes (demonstrated by the intricacies of the law, institutions and social perceptions) a kind of \"individual\", the individual restricted, according to an equally strict concept of \"citizenship\". For this, we focus the discussion on the vicissitudes of the labor market, its ancient and new obstacles and its latest configuration in each context. This dimension (central in dealing with new generations) reveals more directly the main social conflicts, forcing further considerations on the biographical trajectories, opinions, experiences and individual perceptions. In this way, we can then expose the nexus among individuals, in order to understand and discuss the intricate landscape shrouded by imprisonment in the analysis of social units.

En dépit d’un discours social égalitariste, la pratique d’une activité professionnelle, de loisir, ou sportive contraire aux stéréotypes de genre entraîne toujours de la désapprobation de la part d’autrui (Schmalz, Kerstetter, & Anderson, 2008). L’objectif de ce travail doctoral est de mettre en évidence que nos jugements sur le genre et sur le sexe des personnes sont davantage influencés par la hiérarchie sociale qui existe entre les sexes, que par le contexte. Cette thèse avance, dans une première partie, qu’à une asymétrie sociale correspond une asymétrie cognitive quant aux jugements émis à propos du genre des personnes. Pour les hommes, seule la dimension « féminine » varie selon le type d’activité pratiquée, alors que pour les femmes, le changement est constaté sur les deux dimensions : masculine et féminine. Le même constat peut être fait lors de tâches liées à la catégorisation de sexe. En allant plus loin, à l’aide d’une mesure en temps réelle (Mouse-Tracking, Freeman & Ambady, 2010), nous mettons en évidence dans une deuxième partie une asymétrie motrice dans le processus de catégorisation qui serait le reflet de l’asymétrie cognitive constatée précédemment. Ce résultat renforce l’idée que l’homme peut être considéré comme le groupe dominant : les jugements le concernant ne dépendent pas du contexte, alors qu’à l’inverse, nous observons que les jugements sur les femmes (i.e., le groupe dominé) sont davantage influencés par le contexte. Pour finir, nous explorons l’hypothèse que l’influence de la hiérarchie sociale serait marquée au niveau fonctionnel. En conclusion, ce travail doctoral soutient l’idée que nos jugements sur les hommes et les femmes ne sont pas seulement influencés par le contexte, mais aussi par la position sociale des individus. / Despite efforts toward equality, the participation in a professional activity, recreational or sport contrary to gender stereotypes always involves of disapproval from others (Schmalz, Kerstetter, & Anderson, 2008). The objective of this doctoral work is to show that our judgments on gender and on sex of people are more influenced by the social hierarchy between the sexes, as by the context. This thesis advances, in a first part, that to a social asymmetry corresponds a cognitive asymmetry on the judgements related to the gender of the people. For men, only the dimension « feminine » varies according to the type of activity performed, while for women, the change is found on two dimensions: masculine and feminine. The same observation can be made in a sex categorization task. With measures in real-time (MouseTracker, Freeman & Ambady, 2010), in the second part, we show a motor asymmetry in the process of categorization that would reflect cognitive asymmetry observed previously. This result reinforces the idea that the man can be considered as the dominant group: its judgment do not depend on the context, while in contrast, we observe that judgments on women (i.e., the dominated group) are more influenced by the context. Finally, we explore the hypothesis that the influence of the social hierarchy would be marked at the functional level. In conclusion, this doctoral work supports the idea that our judgments on men and women are not only influenced by the context, but also by the social position of individuals.