1. Moving together: Incidental leaders and naïve followers
- Author
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Jacques Gautrais, Marie Hélène Pillot, Jeanne Gouello, Pablo Michelena, Richard Bon, A. M. Sibbald, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut des sciences du cerveau de Toulouse. (ISCT), Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), and Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-CHU Toulouse [Toulouse]-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J)-CHU Toulouse [Toulouse]-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Conditioning, Classical ,MESH: Acoustic Stimulation ,MESH: Locomotion ,MESH: Sheep ,Spatial Behavior ,Social behaviour ,Motor Activity ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,MESH: Auditory Perception ,Behavioral Neuroscience ,MESH: Spatial Behavior ,MESH: Behavior, Animal ,[SDV.BA.ZV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology ,Animals ,MESH: Animals ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,050102 behavioral science & comparative psychology ,Social Behavior ,Sheep ,Behavior, Animal ,Movement (music) ,05 social sciences ,Social environment ,General Medicine ,Feeding Behavior ,MESH: Conditioning, Classical ,MESH: Motor Activity ,3. Good health ,Acoustic Stimulation ,MESH: Feeding Behavior ,Auditory Perception ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Female ,Cues ,Psychology ,MESH: Social Behavior ,MESH: Female ,Social psychology ,MESH: Cues ,Locomotion - Abstract
International audience; Elucidating whether common general mechanisms govern collective movements in a wide range of species is a central issue in the study of social behaviour. In this paper, we describe a new experimental paradigm for studying the dynamic of collective movements. Some sheep (Ovis aries) were first trained to move towards a coloured panel, in response to a sound cue. We present data comparing the behaviour of test groups composed of one of the trained sheep and 3 naïve sheep, and control groups composed of 4 naïve sheep. In the tests, for both test and control groups, sheep were observed for 20 min before the sound cue was delivered and the panel made visible. Before the sound, trained and naïve sheep were similar in terms of activity budgets, spatial distribution, social behaviour and spontaneous movement initiation. After the sound, trained sheep moved toward the panel and systematically triggered a collective movement in all test groups. The results suggest that any individual moving away from the group can elicit a collective movement. Our experimental protocol provides an opportunity to quantify mechanisms involved in group movements, and to investigate differences between species and the effect of social context on collective decision-making.
- Published
- 2009
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