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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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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