How useful are the concepts of alternative strategy and coping strategy in applied studies of social behaviour?

Abstract

The concepts of alternative strategy and coping strategy and their relevance to applied studies of social behaviour are considered. It is clear that a universally agreed definition of “strategy” is not available, and that there are few good examples of discrete social strategies in applied ethology. However, general principles emerging from theoretical and empirical studies of behavioural strategies do have some value for applied ethology research. Alternative strategy theory emphasises the importance of measuring the costs and benefits of different types of social behaviour, and of being aware that different behavioural solutions to the same problem may be equally successful. There are significant problems in using a cost/benefit currency of inclusive fitness in applied studies of domestic animals, but a currency related to measures of animal welfare may be of use and of relevance to applied ethologists. Cost/benefit analysis may reveal that the “traditional” view of a positive linear relationship between social rank and measures of welfare or fitness is not always correct. In some cases, animals of quite different social rank may do similarly well in terms of their welfare and reproduction. The idea that individuals respond to threatening or challenging situations using specific coping strategies may have some applicability in social contexts. During introduction to novel conspecifics, or social upheaval, individuals may behave in ways in which are reasonably predictable from a knowledge of their coping strategies. However, it is argued that such predictability is unlikely in stable social groupings and thus has limited practical value. Nevertheless, this remains to be investigated experimentally. If consistent coping strategies in social situations are found to exist, it is possible that they may represent frequency-dependent alternative strategies whose costs and benefits can be analysed. If so, there will be a population equilibrium point at which followers of different strategies are, on average, equally successful. From a practical perspective, it is possible that this population structure also results in minimal welfare problems and maximal growth rates.