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![Social network node-based metrics can function as proxies for animal personality traits](/media/repos/2/842cda25-7d2c-4fdc-99de-a5740716f653.jpg)
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Abstract
Behavioural traits are considered animal personality traits when individuals differ consistently in trait expression across time and context. Previous research has primarily focused on the shy-bold continuum, with research on sociability as potential proxy for animal personality traits only recently being considered. Here, we test the hypothesis that three node-based metrics derived from social association networks between individuals (strength, betweenness, closeness) can be considered proxies for animal personality traits in a passerine bird. Using experimental data from house sparrows in captive populations, and observational data from house sparrows in a wild population, we show that all three traits exhibit repeatability. The highest repeatability values were estimated in male-only captive groups, while repeatabilities estimated in single-sex networks subsets from mixed-sex groups showed no sex-specificity. We also show that changes in social group composition led to a decrease in repeatability for up to six months. Concluding, this work provides substantial and generalizable support for the notion that social network node-based traits map animal personalities.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.32942/osf.io/yvq9d
Subjects
Behavior and Ethology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Life Sciences
Keywords
Animal personality, Behaviour, Birds, Repeatability, social network analysis
Dates
Published: 2019-08-14 22:41
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