Cited by 241Primate Behavior and EcologyAnimal Behavior and ReproductionEvolution and Paleontology Studies

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EVIDENCE FOR COEVOLUTION OF SOCIALITY AND RELATIVE BRAIN SIZE IN THREE ORDERS OF MAMMALS

Pérez-Barbería, F. Javier, Shultz, Susanne, Dunbar, Robin I. M.·2007·Evolution

DOI 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00229.x

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Abstract

As the brain is responsible for managing an individual's behavioral response to its environment, we should expect that large relative brain size is an evolutionary response to cognitively challenging behaviors. The "social brain hypothesis" argues that maintaining group cohesion is cognitively demanding as individuals living in groups need to be able to resolve conflicts that impact on their ability to meet resource requirements. If sociality does impose cognitive demands, we expect changes in relative brain size and sociality to be coupled over evolutionary time. In this study, we analyze data on sociality and relative brain size for 206 species of ungulates, carnivores, and primates and provide, for the first time, evidence that changes in sociality and relative brain size are closely correlated over evolutionary time for all three mammalian orders. This suggests a process of coevolution and provides support for the social brain theory. However, differences between taxonomic orders in the stability of the transition between small-brained/nonsocial and large-brained/social imply that, although sociality is cognitively demanding, sociality and relative brain size can become decoupled in some cases. Carnivores seem to have been especially prone to this.

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“…derivative of selection for specialised cognition required for group-living in primates, ungulates, carnivores, bats, cetaceans, and birds (Pérez-Barbería et al. 2007; Shultz and Dunbar 2007, 2010a, 2010b, 2022; Dunbar and Shultz 2017, 2021; Fox et al. 2017), (2) this relationship…”
Self-citation
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“Despite its initial success, the SBH is now viewed with more scepticism for two main reasons: on a more technical level, various studies found supporting evidence only if group size and neocortex ratio were replaced with other measures [19,31,63,78,88,89] thus introducing arbitrary factors in the analyses.”
The evolution of capture myopathy in hooved mammals: a model for human stress cardiomyopathy?
Blumstein, D. T., Buckner, J. C., Shah, S., Patel, S., Alfaro, M. E., & Natterson-Horowitz, B. (2015) · Evolution Medicine and Public Health · doi:10.1093/emph/eov015 · Cited by 36
“Indeed, more social species, including ungulates, may have larger brains [51].”
Background
Absolute, not relative brain size correlates with sociality in ground squirrels
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“Some evidence for larger brains in social carnivores has been presented [10], but the observed link between brain size and sociality was later shown to stem from dogs alone ([18], but see [19]).”
Background
Neuroanatomical and Morphological Trait Clusters in the Ant Genus Pheidole: Evidence for Modularity and Integration in Brain Structure
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“…Dunbar and Shultz, 2007; Eberhard and Wcislo, 2012; Farris and Roberts, 2005; GómezRobles et al., 2014; Herculano-Houzel, 2012; HerculanoHouzel et al., 2014; Kotrschal et al., 2013; Lefebvre and Sol, 2008; Muscedere et al., 2014; Pérez-Barbería et al., 2007; Reichert, 2009; Swanson et al., 2012].”
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“Indeed, N can vary between 2 and 30 in accord with average maximum population sizes described in several species of primates (Kudo & Dunbar 2001; Dunbar & Shultz 2007a, b; Pérez-Barbería et al. 2007; Shultz & Dunbar 2010).”
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Encephalization and longevity evolved in a correlated fashion in Euarchontoglires but not in other mammals
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“This became the method of choice when brain and body size were found to be tightly coupled allometrically across vertebrates; therefore, accounting for this allometric relationship became of great importance [35, 58].”
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“group size, [43–46]).”
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Longevity in Bovids Is Promoted by Sociality, But Reduced by Sexual Selection
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“and dilution benefits of group living, it is conceivable that the positive link between sociality and longevity is promoted also by a general link between large brain size and sociality [1], which has been reported specifically in ungulates [41,42].”
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A model for brain life history evolution
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Feeding specialization and longer generation time are associated with relatively larger brains in bees
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Authors: Pérez-Barbería, F. J., Shultz, S., & Dunbar, R. I. M.
Affiliations: University of Liverpool (GB)
Corresponding author: Pérez-Barbería, F. Javier
Shultz, Susanne
Dunbar, Robin I. M.
ORCID: Pérez-Barbería, F. Javier
Shultz, Susanne
Dunbar, Robin I. M.
Venue: Evolution
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published: 2007-12
Volume: 61
Issue: 12
Pages: 2811-2821
ISSN: 0014-3820 (ISSN-L)
1558-5646
DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00229.x
OpenAlex: W2105254791
Cited by: 241
References: 58
Citations by year: 2026: 5 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 18
FWCI: 16.05
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: doi.wiley.com/10.1002/tdm_license_1.1 (tdm, 2831 d)
Locations: Evolution (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
BioOne Complete (BioOne) (submittedVersion)
Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (submittedVersion)
Funders: British Academy
Topics: Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Primate Behavior and Ecology
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Evolution and Paleontology Studies
Keywords: social brain hypothesis, sociality, relative brain size, coevolution, ungulates, carnivores, primates, group cohesion, cognitive demand, brain evolution, evolution of social behavior
MeSH terms: Animals, Behavior, Animal, Brain, Carnivora, Mammals, Organ Size, Phylogeny, Primates, Social Behavior

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EVIDENCE FOR COEVOLUTION OF SOCIALITY AND RELATIVE BRAIN SIZE IN THREE ORDERS OF MAMMALS

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