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Cited by 136Primate Behavior and EcologyAnimal Behavior and ReproductionEvolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation

Specificity and multiplicity in the recognition of individuals: implications for the evolution of social behaviour

Wiley, R. H.·2013·Biological Reviews
DOI 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2012.00246.x
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Abstract

Recognition of conspecifics occurs when individuals classify sets of conspecifics based on sensory input from them and associate these sets with different responses. Classification of conspecifics can vary in specificity (the number of individuals included in a set) and multiplicity (the number of sets differentiated). In other words, the information transmitted varies in complexity. Although recognition of conspecifics has been reported in a wide variety of organisms, few reports have addressed the specificity or multiplicity of this capability. This review discusses examples of these patterns, the mechanisms that can produce them, and the evolution of these mechanisms. Individual recognition is one end of a spectrum of specificity, and binary classification of conspecifics is one end of a spectrum of multiplicity. In some cases, recognition requires no more than simple forms of learning, such as habituation, yet results in individually specific recognition. In other cases, recognition of individuals involves complex associations of multiple cues with multiple previous experiences in particular contexts. Complex mechanisms for recognition are expected to evolve only when simpler mechanisms do not provide sufficient specificity and multiplicity to obtain the available advantages. In particular, the evolution of cooperation and deception is always promoted by specificity and multiplicity in recognition. Nevertheless, there is only one demonstration that recognition of specific individuals contributes to cooperation in animals other than primates. Human capacities for individual recognition probably have a central role in the evolution of complex forms of human cooperation and deception. Although relatively little studied, this capability probably rivals cognitive abilities for language.

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  • It is likely necessary for elephants to be able to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar individuals and remember previous social interactions, so that they can account for them in future interactions with the same individual.

    “This means that it is likely necessary for elephants to be able to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar individuals and remember previous social interactions, so that they can account for them in future interactions with the same individual (Gokcekus et al., 2021; Wiley, 2013).”

    From Do elephants really never forget? What we know about elephant memory and a call for further investigation (2025) · cites this paper as Wiley, 2013

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Authors
Wiley, R. H.
Affiliations
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
Corresponding author
Wiley, R. H.
ORCID
Wiley, R. H.
Venue
Biological Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2012-09-14
Volume
88
Issue
1
Pages
179-195
ISSN
  • 0006-3231 (ISSN-L)
  • 1464-7931
  • 1469-185X
DOI
10.1111/j.1469-185x.2012.00246.x
OpenAlex
W2031924082
Cited by
136
References
162
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5
FWCI
0.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
Keywords
individual recognition, conspecific recognition, specificity, multiplicity, evolution of social behavior, cooperation, deception, habituation, learning, human cooperation, animal cognition
MeSH terms
Animals, Biological Evolution, Humans, Social Behavior, Species Specificity, Recognition, Psychology

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