Behavior and Ethology Commons^™

The Dynamics Of Animal Social Networks: Analytical, Conceptual, And Theoretical Advances, Noa Pinter-Wollman, Elizabeth A. Hobson, Jennifer E. Smith, Andrew Edelman, Daizaburo Shizuka, Shermin De Silva, James Waters, Steven D. Prager, Takao Sasaki, George Wittemyer, Jennifer Fewell, David B. Mcdonald

Papers in Behavior in Biological Sciences

Social network analysis provides a broad and complex perspective on animal sociality that is widely applicable to almost any species. Recent applications demonstrate the utility of network analysis for advancing our understanding of the dynamics, selection pressures, development, and evolution of complex social systems. However, most studies of animal social networks rely primarily on a descriptive approach. To propel the field of animal social networks beyond exploratory analyses and to facilitate the integration of quantitative methods that allow for the testing of ecologically and evolutionarily relevant hypotheses, we review methodological and conceptual advances in network science, which are underutilized in …