Neophobia and social facilitation in narrow-striped mongooses
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Neophobia and social facilitation in narrow‑striped mongooses Bako N. Rasolofoniaina1 · Peter M. Kappeler1,2 · Claudia Fichtel2 Received: 17 November 2019 / Revised: 6 September 2020 / Accepted: 11 September 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Social learning is widespread in the animal kingdom, but individuals can differ in how they acquire and use social information. Personality traits, such as neophobia, may, for example, promote individual learning strategies. Here, we contribute comparative data on social learning strategies in carnivorans by examining whether narrow-striped mongooses (Mungotictis decemlineata), a group-living Malagasy euplerid, learn socially and whether neophobia influences social learning. To this end, we tested seven wild female groups with a two-option artificial feeding box, using a demonstrator–observer paradigm, and conducted novel object tests to assess neophobia. In five groups, one individual was trained as a demonstrator displaying one of the techniques, whereas the other two groups served as control groups. Neophobia did not co-vary with an individual’s propensity to seek social information. However, less neophobic individuals, and individuals that tended to seek social information, learned the task faster. Moreover, individuals in demonstrator groups learned the task faster than those in groups without a demonstrator and used the demonstrated technique more often. Hence, narrow-striped mongooses rely on social facilitation and local or stimulus enhancement to solve new problems. Finally, our results suggest that several individual characteristics should be taken into consideration to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of social learning strategies. Keywords Carnivora · Social facilitation · Neophobia · Attendance bias · Mungotictis decemlineata
Introduction Learning by observing others is a mechanism for behavioural plasticity that can shape the behavioural repertoire of an individual (Kendal et al. 2010; Aplin 2016). Social learning is associated with many benefits, from acquiring behavioural traits in different contexts to the establishment of cultural behaviour across populations (Aplin 2016; Whiten and van de Waal 2018). However, social learning also comes with costs, as it can spread incorrect information (Rieucau and Giraldeau 2011). Consequently, individuals should ideally switch flexibly between asocial and social learning strategies (Kendal et al. 2018). To maximize the benefits, an individual should flexibly use social learning strategies to decide from * Bako N. Rasolofoniaina [email protected] 1
Dept. Sociobiology/Anthropology, Johann‑Friedrich‑Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
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whom and when to learn, and which information to acquire (Laland 2004; Kendal et al. 2018). Social learning strategies encompass social information seeking and its use or ap
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