Competition among individuals over shared resources reveals asymmetries in quality resulting in the formation of dominance hierarchies. These hierarchies act as a mechanism for social selection by partitioning resources among group-living animals. The following chapters describe my dissertation research which investigates the factors contributing to competitive asymmetries among broodmates as well as the short- and long-term consequences of the early social environment for the cooperatively breeding red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis). My research revealed that fledgling red-cockaded woodpeckers form male-biased, linear dominance hierarchies. Among fledgling males,, high relative nestling condition strongly predicted fledgling dominance, and this condition–rank relationship persisted through independence. Male nestlings are slightly larger and heavier than females; however, the sexual size dimorphism in mass is only present in mixed-sex broods, suggesting that the subtle structural size advantage gives males a competitive advantage over their sisters. Conflict rates among siblings increased with decreasing targeted feeding rates, and dominant fledglings were able to secure more food from provisioning adults through scramble competition. First-year survival favored males over females and dominant males over subordinates. Females were more dispersive overall than males, and subordinate males were more likely to disperse than dominants. The social environment prior to fledging influenced male dispersal decisions and subordinates delayed dispersal in the spring in situations where all dominants died over the winter. The probability of delayed dispersal in females was higher for females raised without brood-mates in one of two populations included in a long-term demographic data analysis. The availability of breeding vacancies may explain the differences in female dispersal behavior according to social environment between these populations. This research contributes to a greater understanding of the relative contribution of intrinsic benefits versus extrinsic constraints as an influence on delayed dispersal decisions in red-cockaded woodpeckers. Inter- and intra-sexual social rank is correlated with individual access to natal food resources and the probability of first-year survival. The intrabrood variation in dispersal strategies driven by social rank is sufficient to regularly produce both dispersal strategies among males and provides additional support that delaying natal dispersal is the preferred strategy for males in this system. / Ph. D.

No description available.

Sibling violence is a common occurrence for many children yet this form of family violence has received minimal attention in research compared to other forms of child maltreatment. With parents as an integral component in the lives of many children, parental perceptions and experiences of violence between siblings are important to understand. Furthermore, with the increased variation in family structures within society, inclusion of multiple types of families in research is necessary to encompass a broad understanding of sibling violence. This case study included seven parents from four different family structures to examine their perceptions and experiences of physical and emotional violence between siblings. Three phases of data collection including both quantitative and qualitative data gathered information about participants’ experiences with siblings in childhood, witnessed behaviors between children, behaviors associated with sibling violence and sibling rivalry, and labels used to refer to violence between siblings. Participants were also presented with several case scenarios depicting various sibling interactions in which they processed the degree to which they found the behaviors violent or non-violent. Findings indicate that family structure is less important than past and present environmental and contextual factors in understanding participant differentiation between problematic and non-problematic behaviors between siblings. Data from all three phases helped in the construction of a parental decision-making model of sibling interaction that included consideration of past experiences, children factors, the context of interaction, and family rules when classifying behaviors. Implications of the findings for social work direct practice, policy aimed at addressing violence between siblings, advocacy through parental education, social work education, and future directions for research in the area of sibling violence are presented.

Thesis project (D. Min.)--Denver Seminary, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 243-268).

Thesis project (D. Min.)--Denver Seminary, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 243-268).

Sibling relationship quality is affected by several variables, such as gender, age spacing, marital conflicts, parenting, and parent-child relationship, which simultaneously influence personality and developmental outcomes. Furthermore, sibling relationships can significantly influence the social climate of the family and vice versa. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of household composition (1-parent home vs. 2-parent home) and the number of years between siblings ages on sibling relationship quality, and to determine whether parental conflict response management strategies differ between single-parent and 2-parent homes. The participants were 124 adult mothers with at least 2 children. Participants provided demographic information and completed the Parental Expectations and Perceptions of Children's Sibling Relationships Questionnaire to measure sibling relationship quality and the Parental Conflict Management Strategies to measure parental responses to sibling conflict. The 4 research questions were assessed using a quantitative design that used 2-factor multivariate analysis of variance and a chi-square test of independence. The result revealed that household type affected sibling rivalry such that 1-parent households reported less sibling rivalry than 2-parent households. The results also showed that there is no preference for any specific conflict management strategy for sibling conflict among single-parent and two-parent households. Social change implications may result from this study based on a better understanding of how sibling relationship quality has been affected by different family dynamics, such as changes in household composition.

Inaug.-Diss.--Heidelberg. / Vita. Bibliography: p. [143]-145. Also issued in print.

Inaug.-Diss.--Heidelberg. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: p. [143]-145.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar a rivalidade fraterna desde a gestação até os 24 meses de vida do segundo filho em famílias com um primogênito em idade pré-escolar, a partir da perspectiva dos progenitores. De modo especial, buscou-se compreender como se manifesta e como se desenvolve a rivalidade fraterna ao longo dos 2 anos iniciais da relação. Além disso, o estudo visou a examinar as possíveis interações estabelecidas entre esta dimensão do relacionamento fraterno e o relacionamento parental. Para tanto, através de um estudo de caso coletivo, 4 casais de progenitores de famílias com dois filhos responderam separadamente a entrevistas semidirigidas, em 4 momentos de coleta de dados (3º. trimestre de gestação, aos 3, 6, 12 e 24 meses de vida do segundo filho). A análise de conteúdo qualitativa indicou que no período inicial após o nascimento do irmão, a rivalidade fraterna se manifestou prioritariamente através do ciúme do primogênito em relação aos progenitores. Conforme o segundo filho passou a apresentar maior capacidade motora e de comunicação, essa passou a se expressar também através das competições e das disputas diretas entre os irmãos. Além disso, os dados indicaram uma possível inter-relação do relacionamento parental com o surgimento do ciúme do primogênito em relação aos progenitores com o irmão, enquanto que a disputa e a competição fraterna pareceram estar relacionadas ao curso do desenvolvimento do segundo filho. Estes achados apontam para uma compreensão da rivalidade fraterna como constitutiva do relacionamento fraterno, imersa no processo de crescimento e transformação da família como um todo. / The present study aimed to investigate sibling rivalry in preschool firstborns from parents’ perspective, from pregnancy to the second child’s 24th months. In particular, it aimed to understand how sibling rivaly manifests itself and develops through the initial 2 years of the sibling’s relationship. In addition, the study aimed to examine possible interactions between sibling rivalry and parental relationship. A collective-case study was carried out with four families comprising both parents and two children. Fathers and mothers answered separately to a semistructured interview, comprising four moments of data collection (3rd trimester of pregnancy, at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months of the second child). Qualitative content analysis indicated that in the initial period after the second child’s birth sibling rivalry expressed itself primarily through the firstborn’s jealousy towards parents. As the second child showed more motor and communication skills, sibling rivalry was also expressed through direct competition and disputes between siblings. Moreover, the data indicated a possible interrelation between parental relationship and the emergence of the firstborn’s jealousy towards parents, while sibling dispute and competition seemed to be related to the second child’s course of development. These findings bring an understanding of sibling rivalry as constitutive of sibling relationships and as part of the process of growth and transformation of the family as a whole.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar a rivalidade fraterna desde a gestação até os 24 meses de vida do segundo filho em famílias com um primogênito em idade pré-escolar, a partir da perspectiva dos progenitores. De modo especial, buscou-se compreender como se manifesta e como se desenvolve a rivalidade fraterna ao longo dos 2 anos iniciais da relação. Além disso, o estudo visou a examinar as possíveis interações estabelecidas entre esta dimensão do relacionamento fraterno e o relacionamento parental. Para tanto, através de um estudo de caso coletivo, 4 casais de progenitores de famílias com dois filhos responderam separadamente a entrevistas semidirigidas, em 4 momentos de coleta de dados (3º. trimestre de gestação, aos 3, 6, 12 e 24 meses de vida do segundo filho). A análise de conteúdo qualitativa indicou que no período inicial após o nascimento do irmão, a rivalidade fraterna se manifestou prioritariamente através do ciúme do primogênito em relação aos progenitores. Conforme o segundo filho passou a apresentar maior capacidade motora e de comunicação, essa passou a se expressar também através das competições e das disputas diretas entre os irmãos. Além disso, os dados indicaram uma possível inter-relação do relacionamento parental com o surgimento do ciúme do primogênito em relação aos progenitores com o irmão, enquanto que a disputa e a competição fraterna pareceram estar relacionadas ao curso do desenvolvimento do segundo filho. Estes achados apontam para uma compreensão da rivalidade fraterna como constitutiva do relacionamento fraterno, imersa no processo de crescimento e transformação da família como um todo. / The present study aimed to investigate sibling rivalry in preschool firstborns from parents’ perspective, from pregnancy to the second child’s 24th months. In particular, it aimed to understand how sibling rivaly manifests itself and develops through the initial 2 years of the sibling’s relationship. In addition, the study aimed to examine possible interactions between sibling rivalry and parental relationship. A collective-case study was carried out with four families comprising both parents and two children. Fathers and mothers answered separately to a semistructured interview, comprising four moments of data collection (3rd trimester of pregnancy, at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months of the second child). Qualitative content analysis indicated that in the initial period after the second child’s birth sibling rivalry expressed itself primarily through the firstborn’s jealousy towards parents. As the second child showed more motor and communication skills, sibling rivalry was also expressed through direct competition and disputes between siblings. Moreover, the data indicated a possible interrelation between parental relationship and the emergence of the firstborn’s jealousy towards parents, while sibling dispute and competition seemed to be related to the second child’s course of development. These findings bring an understanding of sibling rivalry as constitutive of sibling relationships and as part of the process of growth and transformation of the family as a whole.