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Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Personality homophily drives female friendships in a feral ungulate_Data
No full textFriendships or preferential strong social associations are exhibited by humans and non-human animals and have considerable adaptive benefits. In humans, similarity or homophily in personality traits is considered a proximate mechanism driving friendships, yet little is known about the behavioural ‘decision rules’ underlying animal friendships. Some empirical research suggests that, like humans, animal friendships can be driven by personality homophily. However, these studies are primarily restricted to non-human primates, partly limiting our understanding of the mechanisms of friendships. We investigated a feral population of a ‘non-model’ but highly social species, the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), to determine whether homophily in personality drives friendships in ecologically relevant free-ranging environmental conditions. We conducted behavioural observations on female buffalo (n=30), and assessed their friendships and personalities. Close spatial proximity served as a behavioural indicator of friendship, further validated by a widely accepted measure of friendship: affiliative body contact. An objective ‘bottom-up’ method revealed three personality traits – social tension, vigilance, and general dominance. We found that females with lower differences (i.e., more similar) in social tension and general dominance traits exhibited significantly higher close spatial associations than females with higher personality differences. Our findings indicate that friendships in buffalo can form based on personality homophily, a behavioural decision rule attributed predominantly to primates. We discuss these findings in light of the socioecology of buffalo but emphasise their implications in the broader evolutionary context of animal personalities and friendships
Hand preference predicts behavioral responses to threats in Barbary macaques-Data
No full textThe structure and functioning of the brain are lateralized – the right hemisphere processes unexpected stimuli and controls spontaneous behavior, while the left deals with familiar stimuli and routine responses. Hemispheric dominance, the predisposition of an individual using one hemisphere over the other, may lead to behavioral differences; particularly, an individual may be programmed to act in a certain way concerning hemispheric dominance. Hand preference is a robust estimator of hemispheric dominance in primates, as each hemisphere controls the opposing side of the body. Studies have found links between hand preference and the exhibition of behaviors in contexts such as exploring and manipulating objects. However, little is known whether hand preference predicts behavioral variations in other ecologically relevant contexts like predation. We investigated the relationship between hand preference and behavioral responses to two types of predator models in captive Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) (n=22). Besides, a non-predator novel object was included as control. We found 91% of the macaques to be lateralized with no group-level bias. A higher rate of tension and focus (behavioral response) behavior was found in predator contexts than in the novel object condition. Unlike their right-hand counterparts, individuals with a strong left-hand preference elicited frequent focus and tension behavior toward the predator models. Additionally, the behavioral response varied with predator type. We also found an interaction effect between hand preference and predator type. Our study suggests that hand preference can reliably predict behavioral variations in the context of potential predation. While these results are consistent with lateralized brain function, indicating lateralization a neural mechanism of behavioral variation, the interaction effect between hand preference and predator type elucidates the importance of context-specificity when investigating laterality non-invasively. Future research on other non-human primates using the current framework may provide insights into the evolution of laterality and underlying behavioral predispositions
Supporting Information_Public attitudes and values regarding a semi-urban feral megaherbivore
No full textData_Personality assessment of synanthropic rhesus macaques: implications and challenges
No full textAnswers to the question of what characteristics allow animals to thrive in human-dominated environments remain elusive. Consistent inter-individual differences or personalities can potentially explain the functional significance of habitat-specific traits that enable animals to coexist with humans. Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are the most successful nonhuman primates in the Anthropocene, living in diverse climatic and environmental conditions. Studying the personalities of synanthropic rhesus macaques, i.e., those that thrive in anthropogenic habitats, can provide insights into the biological traits facilitating their success. We planned a multi-method ‘bottom-up’ approach of behavioral observations and novelty experiments, standardized for assessing captive non-human primates, to evaluate the personalities of adult rhesus macaques (N=52). Novelty experiments encountered significant challenges, limiting their effectiveness. So, we continued with behavioral observations in the form of focal sampling, that revealed two repeatable traits, subjectively labeled as social tension and meekness. We found an association of sex with social tension, where males exhibited higher social tension than females. In an additional analysis, we found that individuals that obtained food through contact provisioning had higher scores for the meekness trait than individuals that obtained food through non-contact provisioning. We discuss how the observed personality traits may offer adaptive advantages in human-dominated environments, where despotic rhesus macaques face both benefits and costs (including social) of living in an anthropogenic setting. We also emphasize that protocols designed for captive conditions may not be directly applicable to free-living animals. The study underscores the need to reconsider behavioral experiments to obtain comparable measures between captive and non-captive populations. This would enhance the ecological validity of personality assessments. Nevertheless, empirically identifying traits using observations in synanthropic species can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms that enable certain animals to thrive amidst a rapid expansion of anthropogenic activities
Supporting Information_Public attitudes and values regarding a semi-urban feral megaherbivore
No full textData_Public attitudes and values regarding a semi-urban feral ungulate
No full text1. Anthropogenic land use has transformed habitats globally, leading to human-wildlife cohabitation that presents challenges and opportunities for coexistence. This coexistence is contingent on the nature and frequency of human-animal interactions (HAI) that are primarily shaped by public attitudes and values.
2. We designed a questionnaire using the Wildlife Attitudes and Values (WAVS) and Wildlife Value Orientations (WVO) frameworks to investigate public attitudes and values regarding a feral ungulate, the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), living in and around the South Lantau region of Hong Kong. We analysed 657 questionnaire responses (online = 550, in-person = 107) and additional comments from 56 respondents who completed their questionnaire in person.
3. We conducted exploratory factor analyses using the questionnaire responses related to WAVS and WVO. Two latent factors from each framework were found: (i) WAVS- Tolerance and Appreciation and Social Benefits and Advocacy, explaining ~64% of data variance, and (ii) WVO- Preservation and Education, and Daily Interactions, explaining ~60% of data variance. We conducted a thematic analysis of the additional comments to explore how these factors contextualise public attitudes and values regarding buffalo.
4. Using demographic data (self-reported gender, age, ethnicity, education level, and place of birth), we conducted linear regression analyses to investigate the associations between demographic characteristics and the four latent factors. Gender, age, ethnicity, and place of birth were strongly associated with the latent factors. We also found significant variation among participants living in the three districts of Hong Kong and whether they were South Lantau residents, with regard to the latent factors. These findings imply a complex interplay between public attitudes and values toward a feral animal and their relationships with the natural environment. Fifty-six respondents provided a total of 207 additional comments, highlighting Safety concerns and issues, Emotion and sentiment, and Livelihood impacts as key themes.
5. Studying public attitudes and values, such as appreciation and preservation for semi-urban feral buffalo, points to methods for successful strategies using buffalo as ‘agents’ of conservation. This includes considering social, cultural, and demographic factors for tailored approaches and integrating them into solutions for human-animal interactions, facilitating long-term conservation success
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Personality heterophily and friendship as drivers for successful cooperation_Data
No full textCooperation is widespread and arguably a pivotal evolutionary force in maintaining animal societies. Yet, proximately, what underlying motivators drive individuals to cooperate remains relatively unclear. Since ‘free-riders’ can exploit the benefits by cheating, selecting the right partner is paramount. Such decision rules need not be based on complex calculations and can be driven by cognitively less-demanding mechanisms, like social relationships (e.g., kinship, non-kin friendships, dyadic tolerance), social status (e.g., dominance hierarchies) and personalities (social and non-social traits); however, holistic evidence related to those mechanisms is scarce. Using the classical ‘loose-string paradigm’, we tested cooperative tendencies of a hierarchical primate, the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). We studied three groups (n=21) in their social settings, allowing partner choice. We supplemented cooperation with observational and experimental data on social relationships, dominance hierarchies, and personality. Friendship and dissimilarities in non-social ‘exploration’ and ‘activity-sociability’ personality traits predicted the likelihood of cooperative dyad formation. Furthermore, the magnitude of cooperative success was positively associated with friendship, low rank-distance, and dissimilarity in the activity-sociability trait. Kinship did not affect cooperation. While some findings align with prior studies, the evidence of (non-social)personality heterophily promoting cooperation may deepen our understanding of the proximate mechanisms and, broadly, the evolution of cooperation
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