Abstract
Wonderful as they are, insects do not by any means exhaust the possibilities of suitable organisms to conduct fascinating, cutting-edge, low-cost research, especially in animal behavior. Having seen how insects can be used to this end, in all the previous articles in this series, I will now deliberately choose examples from studies done on vertebrates, starting with fish and navigating through the evolutionary tree of life, all the way to humans. In this article, we will see how simple, clever experiments can reveal that when fish fight, the outcome is not only based on their intrinsic fighting abilities but also on extrinsic factors such as prior winning and losing experiences, and indeed, on a sophisticated interaction between intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In particular, we will study the phenomenon of winner-effects and loser-effects and learn that this is a near-virgin field of research waiting to be exploited and eminently suitable for cutting-edge research at a trifling cost.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Change history
18 April 2020
We regret the inconvenience caused to the readers.
Suggested Reading
R. Gadagkar, How to design experiments in animal behaviour - 10. Why do wasps fight? Part 2, Resonance - journal of science education, Vol.25, No.1, pp.111–131, 2020.
J. Begin, J. P. Beaugrand and R. Zayan Selecting dominants and subordinates at conflict outcome can confound the effects of prior dominance or subordination experience, Behavioural Processes, Vol.36, pp.219–226, 1996.
I. D. Chase, C. Bartolomeo, and L. A. Dugatkin, Aggressive interactions and inter-contest interval: How long do winners keep winning? Animal Behaviour, Vol.48, pp.393–400, 1994.
Y. Hsu and L. L. Wolf, The winner and loser effect: Integrating multiple experiences, Animal Behaviour, Vol.57, pp.903–910, 1999.
J. Beaugrand, C. Goulet and D. Payette. Outcome of dyadic conflict in male green swordtail fish, Xiphophorus helleri: Effects of body size and prior dominance, Animal Behaviour, Vol.41, pp.417–424, 1991.
L. A. Dugatkin, M. Druen, The social implications of winner and loser effects, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B (Suppl.), Vol.271, S488—S489, 2004.
Y. Hsu, R. L. Earley and L. L. Wolf, Modulation of aggressive behaviour by fighting experience: Mechanisms and contest outcomes, Biol. Rev., Vol.81, pp.33–74, 2006. DOI:10.1017/S146479310500686X
A. Bang and R. Gadagkar, Winner-loser effects in a eusocial wasp, Insect. Soc, Vol.63, pp.349–352, 2016. DOI 10.1007/s00040-015-0455-x
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to Maria Modanu, Alok Bang, Sujata Deshpande, Lee Alan Dugatkin and T N C Vidya for helpful comments on this article and to Ivan Chase for discussion.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Raghavendra Gadagkar is DST Year of Science Chair Professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Honorary Professor at JNCASR, and Non-Resident Permanent Fellow of the Wissenschaftskolleg (Institute for Advanced Study), Berlin. During the past 40 years he has established an active school of research in the area of animal behaviour, ecology and evolution. The origin and evolution of cooperation in animals, especially in social insects, such as ants, bees and wasps, is a major goal of his research. http://ces.iisc.acin/hpg/ragh. https://www.researchgate.net/ profile/Raghavendra Gadagkar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gadagkar, R. How to Design Experiments in Animal Behaviour. Reson 25, 269–296 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-020-0942-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-020-0942-x