The Choice of Post-conflict Interactions in Wild Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Abstract

Summary Some costs of cone icts remain after an aggressive interaction has been terminated. Postcone ict management in social living animals can reduce those costs by means of a variety of interactions implemented after aggression ( e.g.reconciliation, consolation, redirected aggression). Each post-cone ict interaction (PCI) provides different advantages and disadvantages, although the functions may sometimes overlap. Individuals can therefore choose a PCI to achieve the most favourable outcome within a given cone ict situation. We examined 876 dyadic aggressive interactions among 18 wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes verus ) of both sexes in the Tai National Park, Co te d’ Ivoire. We investigated which cone ict-condition led to which type of PCI and related the choice of PCI to its advantages and disadvantages. Tai chimpanzees used reconciliation to resolve cone icts among high value partners and when approaching the former opponent was unlikely to entail further aggression. Consolation seemed to substitute for reconciliation, when were opponents low value partners or approaching the former opponent was too risky, such as when further aggression was likely. Tai chimpanzees renewed aggression after undecided cone icts and when losers were unexpected. They used