Why do we live in groups? The evolutionary cost of sociality.
In short: Living in a group offers protection and cooperation, but it comes with a hidden price tag. From the stress of social hierarchies to the physiological toll of infection, researchers are mapping the complex trade-offs that shaped our social nature. It is a delicate balance between survival and the costs of belonging.
Dr. Chris Young, a Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, investigates the evolution of sociality by examining the adaptive benefits and costs of group living. His research focuses on how ecological and cognitive factors shape behavior across various non-human primates. By combining behavioral, genetic, and endocrine methodologies with multivariate Bayesian statistics, Young seeks to understand how social structures influence individual fitness and population dynamics. In Germany, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology employed Young as a research scientist. He also held research positions at the University of Pretoria and the University of South Africa. His academic background includes a PhD in biology from the University of Göttingen and a MRes in Primatology from the University of Roehampton.
A significant portion of this research highlights the physiological 'price' of sociality. For example, studies on vervet monkeys have explored how social behaviors impact thermoregulation, particularly during harsh winters. Additionally, Young has contributed to research on the social costs of acute infections, such as fevers in wild vervet monkeys, and the impact of food stress and polyparasitism on sickness behavior in gregarious mammals. His work includes investigating how birth hour affects the thermal consequences for primates. He has also examined how climate-induced stress impacts mortality rates in vervet monkeys. Furthermore, his team used infrared thermography to determine if it could accurately estimate core body temperatures in wild primates.
The research also delves into the nuances of social dynamics, such as the role of 'formidable females' in network integration and the predictors of vocal use across different primate species. By studying these interactions, Young provides a deeper understanding of how social behaviors are not just cultural choices but are deeply rooted in evolutionary biology, endocrinology, and the fundamental need to balance social integration with physiological health. His research also explores how male characteristics predict genital color and display variation in vervet monkeys. He has studied the limits of social inheritance within these primate networks. Additionally, his work examines how residency and dispersal triggers function in seasonal breeders with influential females.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Christopher Young
- Also: Christopher Young
- Also: Wikidata — Christopher Young · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Christopher Young · CC0
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