Since no previous unifying theoretical framework existed for viewing the different instances of chimpanzee predatory aggression (i.e., predatory behavior, cannibalism, infanticide, and warfare), the author developed a model for predatory aggression which differentiated the proximate and ultimate causes of predatory aggression, showed how these proximate and ultimate causes are correlated, showed how the ultimate function of any instance of predatory aggression is the solution of an ecological problem (thus contributing to the gene copying success of an individual and his kin), and showed how predatory aggression is likely to appear when any of a variety of combinations of proximal environmental factors causes the benefits of predatory aggression to exceed its costs.The model also helped suggest how developing inter-community and intra-community selection pressures initially made it advantageous for predatory aggression to be used on conspecifics, and how multiple selection pressures brought about the merging of intra-specific and inter-specific aggressive components in chimpanzee killing behavior.Essential to the creation of this model was a theoretical discussion of killing behavior, a survey of chimpanzee behavior and social structure, a survey of the incidence of chimpanzee killing behavior, and a summary of the various hypotheses for the cause and functions of predatory aggression.The author sees this model as an advance over previous explanations of chimpanzees predatory aggression because the model explains the ultimate as well as proximate causes of predatory aggression, it shows how the ultimate function of predatory aggression is to solve ecological problems and contribute to the gene-copying success of an individual and his kin, and it indicates how predatory aggression can link with other types of aggressive behavior patterns depending upon the immediate conditions of the environment.The importance of the preceding study lies in its ability to provide a model for the evolution of conspecific killing in protohominids.

This study addressed aggressive interactions, and some of the behaviors associated with them, in House Sparrow flocks. The evidence suggests that females are the consistently dominant sex, which does not concur with the current idea of alternating dominance in House Sparrows. Another purpose of this study was to determine if predictions concerning the type of interaction and level of aggression displayed could be made for interacting House Sparrows. I feel that accurate predictions can be made when several factors are taken into account: time of year, sex, and the age of birds at the food resource. In this study adult female House Sparrows dominated males from fall through spring, even when males increased their rate of initiating interactions during winter. Across all interaction types, mid-level aggression was used most often and only in male intrasexual interactions was high-level aggression more common than expected. Juvenile birds, mainly males, change flock dynamics in the fall by eliciting aggressive interactions. / Department of Biology

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 1997. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-93).

No description available.

Although many signalling molecules appear relevant to the production of complex behaviours, those that are important to the physiological regulation of behaviour, and so those that characterise individual styles of behaviour, are unknown. Vasopressin is the strongest candidate regulator of social behaviour. Experiments were carried out in consideration that vasopressin may directly regulate aggressive behaviour in lactating rats. Patterns of immediate early gene expression during/subsequent to aggressive behaviour suggested specific neural circuits may have significant direct regulatory influence over particular behaviours, and that activation of the V1b vasopressin receptor, in these circuits, may contribute to this putative regulatory signalling. In situ hybridisation studies indicated that patterns of vasopressin release, rather than receptor expression, might be important for any peripartum changes in behaviour driven by vasopressin. Although their relative importance is unknown, central actions of vasopressin may exert a strong regulatory influence over a range of behaviours, across a range of species.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: aggression; swimming performance; assessment. Includes bibliographical references (p. 36-39).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Supervisor: Walter Wilczynski. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available from UMI.

Not available / text

No description available.