Ham Jackson R, Pellis Sergio M, Pellis Vivien C
Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada.
Front Behav Neurosci. 2024 Aug 27;18:1451283. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1451283. eCollection 2024.
Social interactions are often analyzed by scoring segments of predefined behavior and then statistically assessing numerical and sequential patterns to identify the structure of the encounters. However, this approach can miss the dynamics of the animals' relationship over the course of the encounter, one that often involves invariant bonds, say a nose-to-nose orientation, with many different movements performed by both partners acting to counteract each other's attempts to break or maintain the relationship. Moreover, these invariant bonds can switch from one configuration to another during an interaction, leading from one stable configuration to another. It is this stepwise sequence of configurational stabilities that lead to functional outcomes, such as mating, aggression, or predation. By focusing on the sequence of invariant relational configurations, the deep structure of interactions can be discerned. This deep structure can then be used to differentiate between compensatory movements, no matter how seemingly stereotyped they may appear, from movement patterns which are restricted to a particular form when more than one option is available. A dynamic perspective requires suitable tools for analysis, and such tools are highlighted as needed in describing particular interactions.
社会互动通常通过对预定义行为的片段进行评分，然后对数字和序列模式进行统计评估，以确定互动的结构。然而，这种方法可能会忽略动物在互动过程中关系的动态变化，这种动态变化通常涉及不变的纽带，比如鼻对鼻的姿势，双方会做出许多不同的动作来抵消彼此打破或维持这种关系的企图。此外，这些不变的纽带在互动过程中可能会从一种配置转换到另一种配置，从而从一种稳定配置过渡到另一种稳定配置。正是这种配置稳定性的逐步序列导致了诸如交配、攻击或捕食等功能性结果。通过关注不变关系配置的序列，可以辨别互动的深层结构。然后，这种深层结构可用于区分补偿性动作（无论它们看起来多么刻板）与在有多种选择时局限于特定形式的运动模式。动态视角需要合适的分析工具，在描述特定互动时会根据需要突出这些工具。
