[MARMAM] New publication on Bottlenose dolphins cooperation

[Amir Perelberg]

Dear colleagues,

A new paper was recently published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology:

Perelberg Amir and Schuster Richard. 2008. Coordinated breathing in 
bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) as cooperation: Integrating 
proximate and ultimate explanations. Journal of Comparative Psychology 
122(2):109-120.

pdf is available on the journal web site:
http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=search.displayRecord&uid=2008-05696-001

or upon request: aperelbe at cc.huji.ac.il

Abstract:
In this study, coordinated breathing was studied in 13 common bottlenose 
dolphins because of its links with spontaneous coordinated behaviors 
(e.g., swimming, foraging, and playing). A strong link was shown between 
dyadic coordination levels and age/sex categories when both association 
patterns and spatial formation are considered. This is consistent with a 
significant influence of social relationships on cooperating and 
contrasts with an economic perspective based on immediate material 
outcomes alone. This cooperation bias is explained by linking proximate 
processes that evoke performance with ultimate evolutionary processes 
driven by long-term adaptive outcomes. Proximate processes can include 
kinds of immediate outcomes: material reinforcements and affective 
states associated with acts of cooperating that can provide positive 
reinforcement regardless of immediate material benefits (e.g., when 
there is a time lag between cooperative acts and material outcomes). 
Affective states can then be adaptive by strengthening social 
relationships that lead to eventual gains in fitness.

Enjoy,

-- 
Amir Perelberg, PhD
Post-doctoral fellow

The Department of Evolution, Systematics and Ecology
and
The Center for the Study of Rationality

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat-Ram
Jerusalem 91904, Israel

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