Abstract of contents: The process of Lithuania’s turning into a democratic state requires changes in public thinking and this process should involve all the areas of state. Sociality is the basis for existence of a democratic state. The future of a democratic society depends on the ability of youth to take over and further develop the principles of community life. Therefore school takes a crucial role and has to form the ground for the development of personality. School is responsible for raising a person of the future here-and-now. The major aim is to educate a sensible, independent and creative person, a citizen with a critical thinking and able to drive his life to the right direction; provide him with scientific and cultural knowledge, as well as teach to love the homeland. It is obvious that education objectives set are impossible to reach with help of school only. Therefore the cooperation between school and local community is essential. Aim of the paper: to establish the impact on public administration by means of analysis of possibilities of school and local community cooperation. The paper aims to establish what factors influence public administration effectiveness as well as discuss efficiency attributes of school as one of the administration institutions. Compare different settlement residents’ views towards cooperation between school and local community. Riešė Neighbourhood was chosen for conducting the study. Respondents from three settlements were selected... [to full text]

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T16:35:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PATRICIA.pdf: 2893625 bytes, checksum: 9662d7a39df05d29f77e5be36dfde695 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-03-02 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In this research we look at how you present sociality among young people in Internet cafes and Internet in Florianópolis - SC. To perform such an observation at an Internet café in the capital of Santa Catarina to know a little everyday this trade. We also apply a questionnaire to young students about the use of digital technologies and conducted semi-structured interviews with young people to deepen some questions regarding the use of Internet cafes and the Internet. Emphasize that sociality is present in these environments through the will to be together sharing common interests in interpersonal communicative actions, creating an identification between the users of cyberspace. Emphasize that public schools can play a critical role with respect to digital education based on youthful experiences related to the use of cyberspace. Finally, we suggest that the computer room of the school is also a place to use self-directed and 'free' digital technologies, fostering interaction between the experiences of Internet cafes and school. What can be called LanEscola / Nesta pesquisa buscamos analisar como se apresenta a socialidade entre jovens em lan houses e suas implicações para a escola. Para tal realizamos uma observação em uma lan house na capital catarinense a fim de conhecer um pouco do cotidiano deste tipo de comércio, aplicamos um questionário com jovens estudantes a respeito do uso das tecnologias digitais e realizamos entrevistas semi-estruturadas com alguns jovens para aprofundarmos questões atinentes ao uso das lan houses e da Internet. Destacamos que a socialidade está presente nestes ambientes através da vontade de estar junto compartilhando interesses em comum, nas ações comunicativas interpessoais, criando uma identificação entre os usuários do ciberespaço. Ressaltamos que a escola pública pode ter papel fundamental no que tange a educação digital com base nas experiências juvenis relacionadas ao uso do ciberespaço. Por fim, sugerimos que a sala de informática da escola seja também um local voltado ao uso autônomo e livre das tecnologias digitais, promovendo uma interação entre as vivências das lan houses e da escola, o qual pode ser chamado de LanEscola

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T16:59:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 julia.pdf: 4331976 bytes, checksum: 0c37762e174c03affef753a26ba6877c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work, entitled Forever Off-Line: mourning practices in the social network Orkut in Brazil (2004-2011) seeks to analyze how in times of death silenced, Orkut, a social network of communication and relationship became an ambience to express and share pain and suffering of mourners through text messages (notes, interviews and debates in discussion forums) and images. In Orkut pages, after created in 2004, in communities and personal profiles we can note that mourners express virtually their pain and suffering through images and messages, which are shared and visible to users of their network, including friends, Family and even strangers. Thus, a main proposal of this work is to understand new forms of sociability and a variety of relationships and interactions experienced by Internet users in a virtual space, in addition to outlining the use of websites as a source to the History, emphasizing on research implications through the online documents. Another main topic in this research is the transformation of funeral rites in the history process, especially the changes over of death and mourning in the present, highlighting up new ways to treat the dead and death over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The study also seeks to recognize through community pages and deceased or mourning personal profiles, both analyzed as research sources, the ways that mourners use to show their suffering and missing. Further than, in Orkut pages, this work intends to understand the relationships and distinctions between these new virtual ways to express the pain caused by death of their loved one and the individualization of the pain of loss, typical contemporary mourning / Este trabalho, intitulado "Eternamente Off-Line": as práticas do luto na rede social do Orkut no Brasil (2004-2011) procura analisar como em tempos de morte silenciada, o Orkut, uma rede social de comunicação e relacionamento, tornou-se um ambiente para expressar e compartilhar a dor e o sofrimento de enlutados, através de mensagens textuais (recados, depoimentos e debates em fóruns de discussões) e imagens. Nas páginas da rede social do Orkut, após sua criação no ano de 2004, tanto nas comunidades como em perfis pessoais, observa-se que os enlutados expressam virtualmente sua dor e sofrimento através de imagens e mensagens, sendo estas visíveis e compartilhadas aos usuários de sua rede, podendo ser amigos, familiares e até mesmo desconhecidos. Assim, uma das principais propostas deste trabalho é a de compreender as novas formas de sociabilidade e as variadas relações e interações vivenciadas pelos internautas no espaço virtual, além de esboçar a utilização das páginas da internet como um documento para o campo da história, enfatizando-se as implicações de se pesquisar através dos documentos on-line. Outro tema fundamental contemplado na pesquisa é a transformação dos rituais funerários no transcorrer da história, em especial as mudanças da morte e do luto na contemporaneidade, realçando-se as novas formas de tratar o morto e a morte no decorrer do século XX e início do XXI. O trabalho também procura identificar por meio das páginas de comunidades e perfis pessoais de falecidos e enlutados, ambas analisadas como documentos de pesquisa, as formas utilizadas pelos enlutados para demonstrar o sofrimento e a saudade do falecido. Ainda, por meio das páginas do Orkut, o trabalho pretende compreender as relações e distinções entre essas novas formas virtuais de expressar a dor causada pela morte do ente querido e a individualização da dor da perda, característico do luto contemporâneo

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-07T14:46:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 3903019 bytes, checksum: b2f4494e3ae294d986c55a960f34990b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-03-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The dissertation verify how the social columns in newspapers of João Pessoa and his particular way of building everyday, watching narratives about public space, socialities existing forms and lifestyles. It starts with the conjecture that social columns in the daily press displays diverse aspects of everyday life. These aspects are legitimated by the tematic fragmentation of jornalism that tends, among other things, to bring the audience to thier products. Because of the peculiarities that have the gossip columns, cutting theme fits in this genre, a range of subjects ranging from the frivolus and playful aspects of daily life to more serious aspects witn a focus on public interest, such as politics. It analyses the columns Abelardo Jurema (Journal Correio da Paraíba), Geraddo (Jornal da Paraíba) and Goretti Zenaide (Jornal o Norte), hsving as theoretical-methodological theories of journalistic genres; Sociology of evereyday life and the key concepts that emerging theory of Michael Maffesoli. The formismo, tissue from the notion "from" was used as a method of procedure. The analysis shows that the empirical object on the daily gossip columns can be read from identify how the imaginary and the identifications of groups such as the elite, are present in everyday life, transforming it into a field appropriate to question the aesthetic experiences and lifestylees of contemporary subjects. / A dissertação busca verificar como se apresenta o colunismo social nos jornais impressos de João Pessoa e o seu modo particular de construção do cotidiano, observando as narrativas sobre o espaço público, as formas de socialidades existentes e os estilos de vida. Parte-se da conjectura que o colunismo social na imprensa exibe diariamente diversificados aspectos do cotidiano. Esses aspectos são legitimados pela própria fragmentação temática do jornalismo que tende, entre outras coisas, a aproximar o público de seus produtos. Em razão das peculiaridades que dispõem as colunas sociais, cabe no recorte temático desse gênero, uma gama de assuntos que vão desde os aspectos frívolos e lúdicos do cotidiano aos aspectos mais sérios com foco no interesse público, como a política por exemplo. São analisadas as colunas Abelardo Jurema (Jornal Correio da Paraíba), Gerardo (Jornal da Paraíba) e Goretti Zenaide (Jornal O Norte), tendo como arcabouço teórico-metodológico as teorias dos gêneros jornalísticos; a Sociologia do Cotidiano e as noções-chave que emergem da teoria de Michel Maffesoli. O Formismo, tecido a partir da noção forma , foi utilizado como método de procedimento. A análise do objeto empírico demonstra que o cotidiano nas colunas sociais pode ser lido a partir de suas efervescências festivas, mas também a partir de suas fragmentações e conflitos; e nos ajuda a identificar como os imaginários e as identidades de grupos, como a elite, se fazem presentes no cotidiano, transformando-o em campo oportuno para problematizar as experiências estéticas e os estilos de vida dos sujeitos contemporâneos.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-07T14:46:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 2082746 bytes, checksum: fd3ac1bd6cddb86f5e450ae7748408ae (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The current research intends to take a look at the impact of the social interactions made by the intermediation of the computer thru the virtual community called, Web Novels Fake on Orkut. This work also investigated the reasons for individuals to interact as fake profile in such a social network. The proposal of such dissertation intends to contribute to the study of communication, and quotidian life in its interdisciplinary method with sociology as well. Therefore, this investigation was made possible through the phenomenon of computer-mediated interactions. This research followed three distinct methods of investigation in order to provide an overview; a) It presents the fake profiles as a subjective representation anonymous; b) The Web-novel is presented as an expression of such interactions mediated by the computer, and c) Everyday life as a sweeping of social phenomena in postmodernism. As a result of these approaches, all of the methods of investigation were distributed throughout the four chapters of this dissertation. The methodological approach was done through socialization and symbolic interactionism. Maffesoli‟s comprehensive sociology helps one to understand the relationships between the fake profiles, and its interpretation of the interactions with the profiles in the context of such virtual community according to Goffman. As one may noticed, the empirical study of the fake profile and its methodological feature investigated how interactions mediated by computer arose in daily life, and also how these interactions could be interpreted, and what were their impact on society. Thus, the analysis was done in two distinct moments. In the first one, five fake profiles were interviewed, and the authors of this web-novel within their community in order to analyze how they would interpret the interaction processes in the context of their community "Web-novels fake." In a second instant, five "key ideas" were categorized, and accordingly such data were collected accordingly to observation of the interaction between the readers profile and the author profile as well in a web-novel, which is already in progress. Such a web novel is called the Rented Boyfriend". In conclusion, it is obvious that there is an attempt to escape reality, or even a need for attention for oneself. One may also presuppose the young people who belong to this anonymous group to be likely to make a scapegoat of it. As a result of this analysis, one must observe such interactions as a new type of conversational approach of those whose fake can talk, construct ideas, stimulate dialogue, and promote discussions as well. / A presente pesquisa buscou lançar um olhar sobre o impacto das interações sociais pela mediação do computador através da comunidade virtual Web novelas fake , do Orkut. O porquê de um indivíduo interagir como perfil fake, também foi investigado. Com efeito, esta proposta de estudos visa contribuir para o estudo da comunicação e o cotidiano na interdisciplinaridade com a sociologia, a partir da investigação do fenômeno das interações mediadas pelo computador. Nessa direção, organizamos esta pesquisa por três veios temáticos, na busca de um panorama geral: a) o dos perfis fake como representações subjetivas anônimas; b) o da webnovela, como expressão dessas interações mediadas pelo computador e c) o do cotidiano como abarcador de fenômenos sociais na pós-modernidade, todos distribuídos nos quatro capítulos da dissertação. A abordagem metodológica é pela socialidade e o interacionismo simbólico. Aquela, a partir da sociologia compreensiva em Michel Maffesoli, que visa compreender as relações entre os perfis fake e essa, que objetiva interpretar as interações dos perfis no contexto desta comunidade virtual, em Erving Goffman. A partir do estudo empírico, enquanto recurso metodológico, investigamos como as interações mediadas pelo computador são problematizadas no cotidiano, como essas podem ser interpretadas e qual o impacto dessas na sociedade. Para tanto, a análise se deu em dois momentos. No primeiro, entrevistamos cinco perfis fake, autores de webnovelas na comunidade, para analisar como esses interpretam os processos de interação no contexto da comunidade Web novelas fake , corpus da pesquisa. Em um segundo momento, catalogamos cinco ideias-chave , a partir de dados coletados através da observação da interação entre os perfis leitores e o perfil autor de uma webnovela em andamento, a Rented Boyfriend . Por fim, consideramos que além das interações entre perfis fake perpassarem o escapismo, a fuga da realidade ou a necessidade de chamar atenção, entendemos que esses jovens os quais pertencem a esse agrupamento anônimo buscam uma válvula de escape para criar e interagir; para viverem. Portanto, observamos essas interações como uma nova abordagem conversacional cujo fake fala, constrói narrativas, estimula diálogos e promove conversações.

När det kommer till brädspel är social interaktion och nöje kopplade. Brädspel och digitala versioner av dem används ofta parallellt och erbjuder därför en unik undersökningsmöjlighet. Automation är ett verktyg som ofta används för skapandet av digitaliserade brädspel, men hur påverkar det socialitet och hur skiljer det sig från fysiska brädspel? Detta är frågan som denna uppsats utforskar genom en observationsstudie av två versioner av brädspelet Ticket to Ride. Både den ursprungliga, fysiska versionen och en digital motsvarighet. Två grupper av spelare blev inspelade medan de spelade båda versionerna av spelet i olika ordning. Under observationen av spelsessionerna har sju olika spelmekaniker använts som infallsvinkel för att avgöra hur skillnader i social interaktion är kopplade till själva spelet. Dessa var turtagning (tid), spelyta (rymd), objekt (tillstånd), handlingar (strategi), regler (automatisering), bokföring och chans men även ej spelrelaterade interaktioner undersöktes. Två av spelmekanikerna visade sig ha störst påverkan på den sociala interaktionen i dem olika versionerna av spelet; regler och turtagning. Dessa två mekaniker var viktiga för inlärning av spelet och för att bibehålla fokus genom spelomgången. / Enjoyment and social interaction are closely connected, and board games can be synonymous with both of these things. Board games and digital versions of those games are often used in parallel, which offers a unique position of inquiry. Automation is a tool commonly used in the creation of digital board games, but how does it affect the sociality and how does it differ from physical board games? This is the question that this paper explores through an observational study of the game Ticket to Ride, both in its original, physical form as well as its digital counterpart. Two groups of players were recorded while playing both versions of the game in a different order. Throughout the observation of these game sessions, seven different game mechanics have been used as the lens to determine how the difference in social interaction is connected to the game itself. These game mechanics were turn-taking (time), game surface (space), object (state), actions (strategy), rules (automation), bookkeeping and chance, but social interactions unrelated to the game were also examined. Two of the seven game mechanics turned out to have the most effect on social interaction in the different versions of the game; rules and turn-taking. These two mechanics were important to the learning of the game and for maintaining focus throughout the game.

La socialité diverse des femelles primates reflète une combinaison de stratégies compétitives et coopératives. Différentes théories expliquent cette diversité. Les macaques sont un bon exemple de variation sociale. L’objectif de ma thèse est d’approfondir la connaissance des sociétés de macaques par l’étude d’une espèce peu connue, les macaques à crête, Macaca nigra, dans son milieu naturel, la réserve de Tangkoko à Sulawesi, Indonésie. 2600 heures de données comportementales ont été prises sur 42 femelles adultes d’Octobre 2008 à Juin 2010. En combinant une analyse compréhensive des variables comportementales, je confirme le style social tolérant des femelles. En examinant la fonction des interactions post-agression par l’analyse des liens entre agression, anxiété, caractéristiques des conflits et de celles des dyades impliquées et les interactions post-agression, je détermine que celles-ci ne servent pas à réduire l’anxiété ou à “raccommoder” les relations sociales mais fonctionnent plutôt pour signaler l’intention pacifique ou pour réaffirmer le statut social. En étudiant l’influence des relations de dominance et de parenté sur les interactions sociales, je détermine que la force des liens sociaux n’est pas forcement liée a la dominance ou la parenté et que les coalitions sont formées entre femelles proches en dominance, mais pas entre apparentées ou proches affiliées. Ces résultats contrastent avec d’autres sociétés animales et mettent en évidence la complexité des sociétés tolérantes. Ma thèse apporte de nouvelles bases empiriques sur la variation sociale dans une perspective comparative et apporte un nouveau cadre théorique sur l’évolution des sociétés animales. / The diversity in female primate sociality reflects a combination of competitive and cooperative strategies. Different frameworks explain such diversity. The genus Macaca is a good example of social variation. The aim of my thesis is to foster our understanding of macaque societies by studying one little-known species, the crested macaque, Macaca nigra, under natural conditions, the Tangkoko Reserve, in Sulawesi Indonesia. From October 2008 to June 2010, I gathered 2600 hours of behavioural data on 42 adult females. By quantifying a comprehensive set of behaviours, I confirm the females’ tolerant social style. I investigate the function of post-conflict interactions by analysing the relationship between aggression, anxiety, characteristics of conflicts, of dyads involved in conflicts, and the occurrence of post-conflict interactions. Post-conflict interactions did not serve to reduce stress or to “repair” relationships but function as a signal of benign intent or to reassert social status. I analyse the hierarchical and nepotistic influence on social relationships and show that social bonds are not entirely shaped by kinship or dominance. Coalitionary support occurred amongst females close in rank but not amongst close kin or strong affiliates. These patterns represent meaningful contrasts to other animal species and highlight the complexity of social life in tolerant societies. By combining behavioural and genetic data, my thesis brings an empirical basis to theoretical frameworks on the evolution of social diversity, reflects on the interplay between different factors in a comparative perspective and provides a general framework for the evolution of animal societies.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research aims to study social learning mediated virtual as element conceptual relevance to education. The construction heuristic around social learning mediated virtual is as the theoretical framework of Sociology of Everyday Life developed by Michel Maffesoli. It is the study of the meanings attributed to video games by young people and their relationships with the concept of sociality, in order to understand the nature, characteristics and structure of contemporary learning as field of analysis taking the use and ownership of electronic games under the youth culture. The authors main were Maffesoli (1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009), Assisi (2007), Gularte (2010), Mendes (2006), Santaella (2003, 2009), Buckingham (2007), Dubet (2004 ), Eagleton (2005), Levy (1996, 1999), Geertz (1989), Morin (1990, 1997), Assmann (1998), Baudrillard (1991), Maturana (1997), Hushkoff (1999), Deleuze and Guattari ( 1980) and Scheibe (2009), Vygotsky (1978), Stern and Willis (2010), Stephens (1993), Moraes (1997), Tapscott (2010), Gardner (1994). The research was conducted in the metropolitan area of Aracaju, in the period March 2009 to November 2010 through the participation of ten young people, aged 18-26 years, users of electronic games. The research methodology used is qualitative, interpretive paradigm, inspired by the research-based phenomenological hermeneutics. The research approach is ethnographic. The instruments of data collection used were: newspaper book, diary, participant observation and semistructured interview active. The results give prominence to social virtual mediated learning as a concept relevant, meaningful and relevant to the analysis of practices relating to school culture, crossed, especially by young people and their sense of expressive styles in the daily organization of pedagogical knowledge, largely influenced by elements of the culture outside the school environment, namely, electronic games, digital culture, the presence of virtual relationships in individual and collective elements of sociality and its influence in the organization of educational work through social learning mediated virtual. / Esta pesquisa tem como objeto de estudo a aprendizagem social virtual mediada como elemento conceitual relevante para a educação. A construção heurística em torno da aprendizagem social virtual mediada tem como referência teórica a Sociologia do Cotidiano de Michel Maffesoli. Trata-se do estudo dos sentidos atribuídos aos jogos eletrônicos pelos jovens e suas relações com o conceito de socialidade, de modo a compreender a natureza, características e a estruturação da aprendizagem contemporânea tomando como campo de análise o uso e a apropriação dos jogos eletrônicos no âmbito da cultura juvenil. Os principais autores utilizados foram Maffesoli (1996; 2001; 2003; 2004; 2006; 2009), Assis (2007), Gularte (2010), Mendes (2006), Santaella (2003; 2009), Buckingham (2007), Dubet (2004), Eagleton (2005), Lévy (1996; 1999), Geertz (1989), Morin (1990; 1997), Assmann (1998), Baudrillard (1991), Maturana (1997), Hushkoff (1999), Deleuze e Guattari (1980), Scheibe (2009), Vygostky (1978), Stern e Willis (2010), Stephens (1993), Moraes (1997), Tapscott (2010), Gardner (1994). A pesquisa foi realizada na região metropolitana de Aracaju, Sergipe, no período de março de 2009 a novembro de 2010, através da participação de dez jovens, com idade entre 18 a 26 anos, usuários de jogos eletrônicos. A metodologia da pesquisa utilizada é de natureza qualitativa, inspirada no paradigma interpretativo de pesquisa de base fenomenológico-hermenêutica. O método de pesquisa é o etnográfico. Os instrumentos de coleta de informações utilizados foram: jornal de bordo, diário de campo, entrevista semidirigida e a observação participante ativa. Os resultados alcançados dão destaque à aprendizagem social virtual mediada como conceito relevante, significante e pertinente para as análises de práticas sobre a cultura da escola, atravessada, sobretudo, pelos sentidos dos jovens e seus estilos expressivos no cotidiano da organização dos saberes pedagógicos amplamente influenciados por elementos da cultura exterior ao espaço escolar, a saber, os jogos eletrônicos, a cultura digital, a presença do virtual nas relações individuais e coletivas, os elementos da socialidade e as suas influências na organização do trabalho pedagógico através da aprendizagem social virtual mediada.

Quels sont les facteurs qui peuvent retarder ou accélérer la sénescence? Les chercheurs tentent d'y apporter des réponses à différents niveaux moléculaires, cellulaires et également au niveau des traits d'histoire de vie. Tl est établi que différents facteurs ont un impact significatif sur les patrons de sénescence tels que le continuum lent-rapide, la sélection sexuelle, ou encore la disponibilité en ressources. De façon surprenante, peu d'intérêt a été porté sur l'influence de la socialité sur les patrons de sénescence. L'objet de cette thèse est de combler cette lacune et d'étudier l'influence de la socialité sur la sénescence grâce à un suivi exceptionnel d'une population de marmottes alpines (Marmota Marmota), mammifère hautement social et longévif. En effet, cette espèce est organisée en groupes familiaux, composés d'un couple dominant reproducteur socialement monogame despotique, et de subordonnés des deux sexes. La marmotte alpine pratique l'élevage coopératif. En effet, les subordonnés mâles participent à l'élevage des jeunes, ils sont aussi appelés helpers. Nous avons mis en évidence une sénescence de la taille de portée à partir de 10 ans et du succès reproducteur vers 8 ans chez les femelles dominantes et une sénescence de survie à partir de 6 ans chez les dominants mâles et femelles. Nous avons montré que le nombre de helpers durant l'année de naissance et durant la vie adulte étaient indépendants et augmentaient additivement le succès reproducteur sur toute la vie et la longévité des femelles dominantes. Nous avons apporté la preuve que les helpers présents l'année de naissance avaient une influence sexe-spécifique sur les patrons de sénescence de survie des dominants. En effet, les mâles nés avec des helpers vieillissaient plus vite et plus tôt que ceux nés sans helpers. Les femelles ayant bénéficié de helpers l'année de naissance présentaient une sénescence tardive et moins intense que celles sans helpers. Également, les helpers présents durant la vie adulte retardait la sénescence des dominants des deux sexes et diminuaient son intensité. Les coûts et bénéfices liés à l'élevage coopératif expliquent en partie la variabilité de la sénescence de survie chez la marmotte alpine. Pour finir, nous nous sommes placés à l'échelle interspécifique et nous avons montré que la socialité chez les mammifères retardait l'âge de début de sénescence / What are factors that can delay or accelerate senescence? Researchers are seeking these factors at molecular, cellular and life history traits level. Recent studies have firmly showed that the slow-fast continuum, sexual selection and food availability are factors shaping variability in senescence patterns. Surprisingly, the influence of sociality on senescence has been less investigated. The aim of this thesis is to fill this gap and to study the influence of sociality on senescence thanks to an extensive dataset spanning 25 years of study on free-ranging Alpine marmots (Marmota Marmota), a long-lived and highly social mammal. Alpine marmots live in family groups typically composed of a dominant pair, of sexually mature and immature (yearling) subordinates, and of pups of the year. Male subordinates help to raise pups, they are also called helpers. We showed in dominant females that litter size declined at 10 years of age and reproductive success at 8 years of age. In both sexes, survival was constant with age until dominants were between 6 and 8 years of age and declined markedly thereafter. We also showed that the number of helpers at birth and during adult life were independent and additively increased female dominant longevity and lifetime reproductive success. Moreover, we provided evidence that the presence of helpers at birth and during adult life strongly influenced survival senescence and that this influence was sex-specific. Indeed, females benefiting from the presence of helpers at birth showed a delayed and less intense senescence while males born with helpers showed a earlier and faster senescence. The presence of helpers during adult life was beneficial for both sexes by delaying senescence and decreasing its intensity. Sociality, more specifically cooperative breeding and its benefits and costs associated, is an important predictor of the diversity of survival senescence in Alpine marmot. Finally, we worked at the interspecific level and showed that sociality in mammals delayed the onset of senescence

Communication signals are shaped by the opposing selection pressures imposed by predators and mates. A dynamic signal might serve as an adaptive compromise between an inconspicuous signal that evades predators and an extravagant signal preferred by females. Such a signal has been described in the gymnotiform electric fish, Brachyhypopomus gauderio, which produces a sexually dimorphic electric organ discharge (EOD). The EOD varies on a circadian rhythm and in response to social cues. This signal plasticity is mediated by the slow action of androgens and rapid action of melanocortins. My dissertation research tested the hypotheses that (1) signal plasticity is related to sociality levels in gymnotiform species, and (2) differences in signal plasticity are regulated by differential sensitivity to androgen and melanocortin hormones. To assess the breadth of dynamic signaling within the order Gymnotiformes, I sampled 13 species from the five gymnotiform families. I recorded EODs to observe spontaneous signal oscillations after which I injected melanocortin hormones, saline control, or presented the fish with a conspecific. I showed that through the co-option of the ancient melanocortin pathway, gymnotiforms dynamically regulate EOD amplitude, spectral frequency, both, or neither. To investigate whether observed EOD plasticities are related to species-specific sociality I tested four species; two territorial, highly aggressive species, Gymnotus carapo and Apteronotus leptorhynchus, a highly gregarious species, Eigenmannia cf. virescens, and an intermediate short-lived species with a fluid social system, Brachyhypopomus gauderio. I examined the relationship between the androgens testosterone and 11-ketotestosterone, the melanocortin a-MSH, and their roles in regulating EOD waveform. I implanted all fish with androgen and blank silicone implants, and injected with a-MSH before and at the peak of implant effect. I found that waveforms of the most territorial and aggressive species were insensitive to hormone treatments; maintaining a static, stereotyped signal that preserves encoding of individual identity. Species with a fluid social system were most responsive to hormone treatments, exhibiting signals that reflect immediate condition and reproductive state. In conclusion, variation in gymnotiform signal plasticity is hormonally regulated and seems to reflect species-specific sociality.