Strong Social Bonds Research Articles

Evidence of male alliance formation in a small dolphin community

The photo-identification of uniquely marked individuals has revealed much about mammalian behaviour and social structure in recent decades. In bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.), for example, the long-term tracking of individuals has unveiled considerable variation in social structure among populations and various spatio-temporal aspects of group formation. In this study, we investigated associations among individual males in a small community of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (T. aduncus) residing in an urbanized estuary in southwestern Australia. Given the relative proximity of our study area to other populations in which complex male alliances form for the purpose of mate acquisition, we used long-term photo-identification records and social analyses to assess whether such alliances also occur in smaller and more isolated settings. Our work revealed strong social bonds and long-term, non-random associations among individual males, suggesting the occurrence of male alliances. Behavioural observations of alliances interacting with potentially receptive adult females from the estuary community and from adjacent communities, and exhibiting sexual display behaviours near females, suggest that these alliances occur in a reproductive context. As the first formal analysis indicating the occurrence of male alliances outside Shark Bay along the vast western coastline of Australia, this study complements previous research and extends our understanding of the evolutionary and ecological processes that drive alliance formation.

Prinsip Pemuridan Menurut Kisah Para Rasul 2:42 Bagi Pertumbuan Rohani Jemaat Masa Kini

This article discusses the discipleship principle in Acts 2:42 for the spiritual growth of the church today as seen in the output in Acts 2:47. This study aims to explain the principles of discipleship that are relevant for the spiritual growth of the church today, by studying the principles found in Acts. Researchers use qualitative research methods and a biblical approach. This principle focuses on the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer as means of deepening understanding of Christ's doctrine. The guiding principles used by followers of Jesus Christ at that time included several important elements. First, the direct teaching of the apostles became the main foundation of learning. This emphasizes the importance of having teachers who provide proper teaching. Second, fellowship becomes an important element in learning. Followers of Christ learn from others through discussion, brainstorming, and helping each other understand the doctrine of Christ. Third, breaking bread becomes a significant learning method. During this activity, followers of Christ discuss and deepen their understanding of Christ's doctrine. This activity creates strong social bonds between members of the congregation and allows for mutual strengthening in faith. Fourth, prayer is an important aspect of this learning method. Followers of Christ learn through prayer and strengthen faith through prayer together.

Соціальний капітал вінничан у формуванні приватного житлового фонду Вінниці доби непу

Мета роботи. На основі загальної характеристики приватного житлового фонду Вінниці доби непу дати відповідь на питання: «Що відбувалося із соціальним капіталом вінницької громади в нових радянських суспільно-політичних умовах?». Методологія. Теоретичною основою статті є погляди Дж. Коулмена на соціальний капітал як результат вільної та раціональної діяльності індивідів для досягнення власної вигоди. Наукова новизна. Охарактеризовано приватний житловий фонд Вінниці доби непу, що складався з денаціоналізованої та новозбудованої частин. Розглянуто ступінь оприявнення соціального капіталу вінницької громади на прикладі формування приватного житлового фонду міста. Висновки. За доби непу вінницькі практики вирішення житлової кризи підтвердили активність соціального капіталу міської громади, попри зміни суспільно-політичного ладу. Необхідність вирішувати життєво важливу проблему всіх пересічних вінничан привела до консенсусу між владою та громадою. У місті досить швидко та раціонально пройшла денаціоналізація житлового фонду, влада виділила значну кількість земельних ділянок для приватного будівництва, а забудовники емпірично визначили критично можливу межу розмірів індивідуальної забудови, щоб уникнути 10 % натурального житлового податку. Приблизно 80 % міських житлових приміщень доби непу можна прив’язати до приватних ініціатив (разом із приблизно десятком кооперативних будинків). На відміну від лівобережних та південних промислових міст України, де розвивалося активне державне та відомче будівництво, вінничани могли розраховувати лише на себе. Вони продовжували підтримувати міцні горизонтальні соціальні зв’язки, що підтверджується числом успішних рішень про денаціоналізацію житла, практиками виживання «колишніх» і «позбавленців», які ніби розчинялися в приватному секторі від пильності влади, а також будівництвом за допомогою толоки.

The Brain Is Adaptive Not Triune: How the Brain Responds to Threat, Challenge, and Change.

Theory impacts how research is conducted. A popular theory used to conceptualize brain functioning is the triune brain theory. The triune brain theory is an evolutionary theory of brain development that emphasizes three key brain regions consisting of the brainstem, the limbic system, and the cortex that function relatively independently in coping with stress via fight or flight, emotion, and cognition, respectively. However, modern neuroscience research demonstrates that the triune brain theory does not accurately explain how the brain functions in everyday life or during the stress response. Specifically, emotion and cognition are interdependent and work together, the limbic system is not a purely emotional center nor are there purely emotional circuits in the brain, and the cortex is not a purely cognitive center nor are there purely cognitive circuits in the brain. We propose a new evolutionarily based model, the adaptive brain, that is founded on adaptive prediction resulting from interdependent brain networks using interoception and exteroception to balance current needs, and the interconnections among homeostasis, allostasis, emotion, cognition, and strong social bonds in accomplishing adaptive goals.

The Social Lives of Free-Ranging Cats.

Simple SummaryCats are ubiquitous in human spaces. Cats live in our homes and on our streets and occupy a variety of social environments. However, scientists still disagree on the social nature of free-ranging cats (FRCs). This paper aims to review the relevant literature on the social behavior of FRCs and includes which behaviors have been observed and the main findings of each study. The findings of this review indicate that the relationships between FRCs are not random, are socially complex, and deserve further study. The body of literature that currently exists provides an excellent foundation for future work. Further research in this area can help further illuminate the social lives of FRCs.Despite the diversity of social situations in which cats live, the degree to which free-ranging cats (FRCs) are social is still debated. The aim of this review is to explore the literature on the social behavior of FRCs. A search of two major databases revealed that observations of intraspecies and interspecies social interactions have been conducted. The intraspecific social dynamics of FRCs differ based on group of cats surveyed. Some groups display strong social bonds and preferential affiliations, while other groups are more loosely associated and display little to no social interaction. Factors impacting FRC conspecific interactions include cat body size, cat social rank, cat individuality, cat age, relationship to conspecific (kin/familiar), cat sex, level of human caretaking, presence of food, the health of the individual, or sexual status of conspecifics. Interspecies interactions also occur with humans and wildlife. The human’s sex and the weather conditions on the day of interaction have been shown to impact FRC social behavior. Interactions with wildlife were strongly linked to the timing of cat feeding events. These findings support the idea that FRCs are “social generalists” who display flexibility in their social behavior. The social lives of FRCs exist, are complex, and deserve further study.

Societal Attitudes Towards the Single Woman A Metaphor Analysis

The purpose of this article is to explore the rhetoric surrounding single women. In popular culture, single women are often described as lonely (Budgeon, 2008; Haddock, 2010), unhappy (Koeing et al., 2010; Zajicek & Koski, 2003), unfulfilled, and lacking interpersonal ties and strong social bonds (Budgeon, 2008). We offer a metaphor analysis of a Facebook self-help group called The Single Woman, along with a short book of affirmations entitled The Single Woman’s Manifesto, to analyze how women frame their singlehood and work to fight back against the cultural stigma surrounding their status. While the Facebook pages contained discussions, the affirmations were particularly powerful and contained specific metaphor patterns which indicate the authors’ perspective on single life. We scrolled through the site dating back to 2014 and pulled what appeared during that time period. The Single Woman’s Manifesto is entirely affirmations. In all, we analyzed 82 affirmations among the two artifacts. We then sorted the metaphors by frequency and intensity to reveal the following metaphor structures – “being single is a journey,” “being single is a battle,” and “being single is a gift.” These metaphors indeed support the struggle between those who feel empowered by singlehood and those who feel it is a daily struggle based on social narratives.

The Trajectory of Traditional Authority in Contemporary Governance; The Ghanaian Experience

The role of traditional authorities in local governance has evolved steadily in different parts of Africa. It is assumed that, in most parts of the continent, traditional authorities’ legitimacy enables them to play a lead role in local governance and development. This study scrutinizes the trajectory of traditional authority in contemporary governance. The objective is to review how social construction rooted in tradition is made to fit into contemporary society. Accordingly, an interpretive approach was adopted within a qualitative methodological framework which informed a case study as the research design type. Respondents were purposefully selected from the traditional council and local government functionaries in Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Suhum, and Cape Coast Municipalities in Ghana’s eastern and central regions. Data were obtained through one-on-one interviews, non-participant observation, documents, and material culture analysis. The findings of this study revealed that even though the role of traditional authorities in the community has evolved, post-colonial governments have not fully incorporated it into the local governance structure thereby restricting them to mere advisors and consultants on customs and traditions. Notwithstanding, traditional authorities are highly revered within the Ghanaian society with strong social bonds providing support as partners in development at the local level. Given that, this study recommends an operative institutional framework that not only involves traditional authority in local governance but duly involves and aptly defines their mandate in the community.

Musicality in human vocal communication: an evolutionary perspective.

Studies show that specific vocal modulations, akin to those of infant-directed speech (IDS) and perhaps music, play a role in communicating intentions and mental states during human social interaction. Based on this, we propose a model for the evolution of musicality—the capacity to process musical information—in relation to human vocal communication. We suggest that a complex social environment, with strong social bonds, promoted the appearance of musicality-related abilities. These social bonds were not limited to those between offspring and mothers or other carers, although these may have been especially influential in view of altriciality of human infants. The model can be further tested in other species by comparing levels of sociality and complexity of vocal communication. By integrating several theories, our model presents a radically different view of musicality, not limited to specifically musical scenarios, but one in which this capacity originally evolved to aid parent–infant communication and bonding, and even today plays a role not only in music but also in IDS, as well as in some adult-directed speech contexts.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part II)’.

The founder sociality hypothesis.

In this review, we propose that the social dynamics of founder populations in novel and newly available environments can have critical effects in shaping species' sociality and can produce long‐lasting changes in social structure and behavior. For founder populations which expand into an underexploited niche separated from the parent population, the necessity of bond formation with strangers, lack of clear territories, and initial abundance of resources can lead to altered initial social dynamics to which subsequent generations adapt. We call this the founder sociality hypothesis. After specifying the theoretical reasoning and mechanism of effect, we focus on three particular cases where the social dynamics of founder populations may have a central role in explaining their modern behavioral ecology. In particular, we develop and review evidence for three predictions of the founder sociality hypothesis in territorial, mixed‐sex group forming species: relatively stronger social bonds in the dispersing sex with relatively weaker bonds in the nondispersing sex, reduced territoriality, and increased social tolerance. We briefly touch on the implications for human evolution given our species' evolutionary history marked by frequent expansion and adaptation to novel environments. We conclude by proposing several experiments and models with testable predictions following from the founder sociality hypothesis.

Corporate social responsibility activities conducted by football clubs playing in the Polish top division – PKO Ekstraklasa

Abstract The main goal of this paper is to analyze how football clubs playing in the Polish top division approach the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Professionalization processes in football clubs all over the world have led to the situation in which they are treated as companies and must follow the same rules. The goals of companies from all industries are no longer only about generating financial profits; they also want to meet the expectations of their shareholders, which can be done through CSR activities. Strong social bonds between football clubs and local societies indicate the CSR approach has massive potential for football clubs. The aim of this paper is to describe how PKO Ekstraklasa are approaching the concept of CSR and to answer the following questions: “To what extent were clubs playing in PKO Ekstraklasa during the 2020/2021 season active in the area of CSR? To what groups did they direct their activities?” The analysis was conducted based on data published by clubs on their websites. The results of the analysis show that PKO Ekstraklasa clubs are active in the field of CSR. However, they need to improve significantly in terms of the regularity of their activities and reporting in order to become truly socially responsible.

Behavioural Responses to Temporary Separation of a Captive Herd of African Elephants (Loxodonta africana)

Elephants are highly intelligent animals with a huge capacity for social cognition, living in large, long-lived, related herds. In captivity, it is extremely difficult to meet all of the species’ ecological needs, as well as those required individual by individual, but improvements are continually being made. After identifying impaired welfare, one collection made the decision to relocate four female African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) to a different facility. As the worlds’ largest land mammal, many safety, welfare, and logistical considerations were undertaken. The elephants travelled in two pairs, a mother–daughter pair and an older unrelated female and a younger unrelated female with a strong social bond. As a result, there was a short gap in between transports, allowing for further habituation to transport crates and the heat of summer. The changes in both social and individual behaviours of the two females remaining when their group was temporarily reduced from four to two were investigated using one-zero sampling. The study determined the daily activities of the elephants comparing ‘before transport’ to ‘after transport’ for the two remaining elephants to establish any changes in their behaviours as a result of this disturbance. Post transport, there was an increase in both human-audible vocalisations and temporal gland secretions, and hugely decreased play behaviour was observed. The dynamic between the remaining pair was also altered with more tactile behaviours from mother to daughter seen but more submission from daughter to mother. This led to the conclusion that the elephants, although mostly unrelated and living in an ‘unnatural’ captive setting, had the same signs of stress and behavioural change as would a highly related group if separated.

Social bonds predict dominance trajectories in adult male chimpanzees

In some species, individuals form well-differentiated and affiliative social relationships that facilitate cooperation and confer adaptive benefits, but few studies of males have addressed the benefits of same-sex social bonds. Among mammals, adult male chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, form some of the strongest and most stable social bonds, and several studies have found that higher-ranking males attain short- and long-term benefits. No study in chimpanzees, however, has demonstrated a link between social bonds and dominance trajectories. To fill this gap, we used 37 years of data from Gombe National Park, Tanzania, to test the hypothesis that social bonds in adult male chimpanzees predict changes in dominance strength, which were measured by annual changes in mean Elo scores. Across 24 adult males, we found that social bonds, which were identified using both association in small groups and grooming activity, showed positive relationships with changes in dominance strength. From previous studies, the most likely mechanism for the observed relationship between adult male bond strength and dominance trajectories is the formation of cooperative coalitions, by which males with stronger bonds leverage established relationships to maintain or increase their position in the dominance hierarchy. Given the fission–fusion social structure of chimpanzees, both party-level associations and grooming relationships are essential components of male social bonding, and these results, in combination with prior studies, suggest that having strong social bonds is a valuable strategy for achieving higher rank.

Social strategies used by dispersing males to integrate into a new group in Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana).

In group-living mammals, an individual's fitness depends, in part, on the quality of social relationships it has with others. Among species of nonhuman primates in which one sex is philopatric, individuals of that sex often develop strong social bonds and alliances with closely related kin. Less is known regarding the social processes used by dispersing adults to form stable bonds with nonkin in their new group. From May to December 2009, April to August 2010, September to December 2011, and February to May 2012, we collected data on grooming interactions in wild Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana), a female philopatric species, at Mt. Huangshan, China. Our goal was to compare social interactions and bond formation between resident males, recent immigrant males, and resident females. Our results indicate that recent immigrant males formed stable partner relationships with a small number of resident females and groomed these females more frequently or for longer than they received grooming. In contrast, resident males switched female grooming partners more frequently, received more grooming than they gave, and formed relationships with a greater number of female partners. We argue that the ability of recent immigrant male Tibetan macaques to maintain strong and persistent social bonds with a small set of resident adult females is a primary factor that enables them to establish residence in a new multimale-multifemale group. The present study provides new and important insights into the integrated social strategies used by dispersing males and resident females to maintain group stability.

The Pro-Democracy Movement in Hong Kong: Psychosocial Risk Factors and Hong Kongers’ Attitudes toward Violence

ABSTRACT Since early June 2019, Hong Kong has been experiencing ongoing social unrest in response to the anti-extradition bill. These demonstrations and rallies have often ended with violent clashes between protestors and the police. Moreover, the frequent mass demonstrations that initially focused on the bill have since evolved into pro-democracy protests directed at the government and the police. This phenomenon may be associated with a growing acceptance of violence and with individuals’ pro-violence attitudes. The literature has shown that those who hold pro-violence attitudes are more likely to engage in criminal and violent activities. Using a sample of 1,024 Hong Kong adults (Mage = 29.15, age range = 18–69, 66.4% females), this cross-sectional study explores the psychosocial risk factors (i.e., deviant behavior learning, positive and negative affect, general mental health, self-control, and social bonds) underlying favorable attitudes toward violence among Hong Kongers during this period of social turmoil. Grounded in the theoretical propositions of mainstream criminology (i.e., social learning, routine activity, general strain, self-control, and social control), our findings show that female participants generally report stronger attitudes toward violence than male participants. Multivariate analyses indicate that increased positive and negative affect, stronger social bonds, and reduced self-control are significant risk factors for holding pro-violence attitudes. These findings have important research and practical implications in the areas such as public education and policy development/refinement, with the primary aim to reduce the likelihood of holding pro-violence attitudes that may prevent future escalations into actual violence.

Love, fear, and the human-animal bond: On adversity and multispecies relationships

Love and strong social bonds are known buffers in the experience of adversity. Humans often form strong bonds with non-human animals. The human-animal bond refers to a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between humans and non-human animals. Previous research suggests that strong bonds with pets may promote resilience in the experience of adversity, but a strong bond with a pet can also complicate this very experience of adversity, particularly among low-resourced and disadvantaged populations. What is the role of the human-animal bond in adversity, and what is the role of adversity in the bond between a human and a non-human animal? In this article we outline the state of research on the role of various types and sources of adversities in multispecies households (i.e., families, relationships) to consider this overarching question. We focus specifically on intimate partner violence, housing discrimination, LGBTQ+ identity-based discrimination, racism, neighborhood disadvantage, and economic inequality. We then outline an agenda for future research about love, adversity, and multispecies relationships, and discuss implications for public policy and community-based interventions.

Generalized Generosity: How the Norm of Generalized Reciprocity Bridges Collective Forms of Social Exchange

This study examines the potential for small-scale acts of giving that are not directly reciprocated, or generalized generosities, to build social bonds and promote contributions to the group. Social exchange theorists define such acts as generalized exchange. The potential for generalized exchange to build strong social bonds relative to other forms of exchange is the subject of theoretical debate. In this article, I build on two prominent theories of social exchange—affect theory and the theory of reciprocity—to propose that a strong norm of generalized reciprocity may bridge the connective benefits of generalized exchange with the connective benefits of productive exchange, which is a collaborative form of social exchange that involves sharing pooled resources. I argue that a strong norm of generalized reciprocity will activate mechanisms theorized to build strong social bonds in generalized and productive exchange systems, and will promote additional behavioral investments into the group. I test my argument with a controlled laboratory experiment, finding strong support for the proposed causal model. The results of this study have implications for research on generosity, collective action, collaboration, sense of community, and social capital.

Parents' Attitudes Toward School Students' Overuse of Smartphones and Its Detrimental Health Impacts: Qualitative Study.

BackgroundParents’ awareness of the risks of the overuse of smartphones (SPs) among their children and parents’ attitudes toward this societal phenomenon are crucial factors to consider when investigating the causes and effects of, as well as interventions to control, this public health issue.ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the awareness and attitudes of parents regarding SP overuse among their children and the detrimental impacts associated with it.MethodsThe qualitative method of semistructured face-to-face interviews was used to collect data from fathers and mothers of children aged 6-18 years from all 6 educational/governorate regions in the governmental sector in Kuwait.ResultsA total of 120 parents agreed to participate in the study; there were more female (75/120, 62.5%) than male (45/120, 37.5%) respondents. Almost all of the participants (118/120, 98.3%) were aware that the overuse of SPs could lead to their children becoming addicted to the devices; they were also aware that there could be side effects on their children’s health (117/120, 97.5%). Although the participants, mostly the mothers, supervised their children’s use of SPs closely (106/120, 88.3%), the majority could not control their children’s length of time using SPs, as the children considered this a deprivation of their rights. Eye-related problems, headaches, and anger were the most common side effects experienced by the children.ConclusionsAlthough the parents were aware of the detrimental impacts of SP overuse, the majority could not control the length of time their children spent using the devices. It was found that strong social bonds among family members play a large role in controlling the use of SPs. A number of solutions for families and the government to combat the overuse of SPs are suggested.

Validation of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) to screen for atypical social behaviors in juvenile macaques.

Primates form strong social bonds and depend on social relationships and networks that provide shared resources and protection critical for survival. Social deficits such as those present in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other psychiatric disorders hinder the individual’s functioning in communities. Given that early diagnosis and intervention can improve outcomes and trajectories of ASD, there is a great need for tools to identify early markers for screening/diagnosis, and for translational animal models to uncover biological mechanisms and develop treatments. One of the most widely used screening tools for ASD in children is the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), a quantitative measure used to identify individuals with atypical social behaviors. The SRS has been adapted for use in adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)–a species very close to humans in terms of social behavior, brain anatomy/connectivity and development–but has not yet been validated or adapted for a necessary downward extension to younger ages matching those for ASD diagnosis in children. The goal of the present study was to adapt and validate the adult macaque SRS (mSRS) in juvenile macaques with age equivalent to mid-childhood in humans. Expert primate coders modified the mSRS to adapt it to rate atypical social behaviors in juvenile macaques living in complex social groups at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center. Construct and face validity of this juvenile mSRS (jmSRS) was determined based on well-established and operationalized measures of social and non-social behaviors in this species using traditional behavioral observations. We found that the jmSRS identifies variability in social responsiveness of juvenile rhesus monkeys and shows strong construct/predictive validity, as well as sensitivity to detect atypical social behaviors in young male and female macaques across social status. Thus, the jmSRS provides a promising tool for translational research on macaque models of children social disorders.

Strongly bonded individuals prefer to forage together in cooperatively breeding dwarf mongoose groups

In many social species, group members form strong social bonds. Such strong bonds are well-known to generate long-term fitness benefits, but they are also expected to influence short-term behavioural decisions. Here, we use field observations and an experimental manipulation to investigate whether variation in social-bond strength (as determined from grooming interactions) influences nearest-neighbour choices while foraging in wild dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula). Preferred grooming partnerships (PGPs), representing particularly strong bonds, were found predominately between male–female dyads but among a range of dominance-status dyads. When searching for food, dwarf mongooses with PGPs were more likely than expected by chance to forage close to a preferred grooming partner. Foraging near a strongly bonded groupmate might reduce the predation risk or increase foraging opportunities and the transfer of social information. In addition, there could be stress-reducing benefits, although our field experiment provided no evidence that nearest-neighbour preferences for strongly bonded groupmates were additionally favoured, or indeed disrupted, in the aftermath of a short-term stressful event. Investigating the potential influence of strong social bonds on short-term behavioural decisions with potential fitness consequences is important for our understanding of social interactions and cooperation. Enduring, close social bonds between individuals provide considerable long-term health and fitness benefits, but are also expected to influence short-term behavioural decisions. We investigated whether social-bond strength (as determined from grooming interactions) influenced foraging decisions in cooperatively breeding dwarf mongoose groups. We found particularly strong social bonds in the form of preferred grooming partnerships in a subset of male–female dyads. Dwarf mongoose foraging decisions were affected by the strength of their social relationships with groupmates: individuals with preferred grooming partners preferred to have these individuals as their nearest neighbours when searching for food. We used a field-based experimental manipulation to investigate whether stressful events impact nearest-neighbour choices, but found no evidence that preferences to forage near strongly bonded groupmates were disrupted or more additionally favoured in the aftermath of a stressful event. Our current work extends understanding of how social bonds can potentially influence within-group behaviour.

Common dolphins form unexpected strong social bonds: insights into social plasticity of delphinids

AbstractWhen a social species inhabits disparate environments with different requirements, it presents an ideal study framework for investigating plasticity in social structure. Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) are wide‐ranging offshore delphinids that generally form societies with fission‐fusion dynamics within large schools and exhibit weak social bonds. In Port Phillip, southeastern Australia, common dolphins of the same species are, against expectations, resident to an embayment. Residency in this species provides a unique opportunity to investigate whether their social structure resembles that of their offshore conspecifics with weak social bonds, or whether bay living leads to stronger social bonds. We investigated the social structure of 12 resident adult common dolphins, between 2007 and 2014, in Port Phillip. Network analyses revealed nonrandom associations and several strong bonds, a social structure unusual for this species. The study shows that the social structure of a wide‐ranging gregarious species in Port Phillip reflects the requirements of a confined environment with limited but predictable resources. Their social structure in the bay resembles that of inshore delphinids, rather than of its own species. Our study highlights the extreme plasticity in social structure that common dolphins are capable of and the importance of the environment for social bonds.