Abstract

PEREZ RUIZ, ALBA LETICIA. Evolution of Social Conflict and its Resolution in Non Human Primates. Acta biol.Colomb. [online]. 2009, vol.14, suppl.1, pp.391-398. ISSN 0120-548X.

The purpose of this article is to analyze, from an evolutionary approach, the social behavior of primates, to explore the meaning of aggressive conflict and reconciliation, its main mechanism of resolution, within an intraspecific social context. Life among a primate social group supposes costs and benefits to its members. Group life allows as well the development of complex social relationships. As socialization generates competition and conflicts that can boost aggressive behaviors, aggression imposes costs, not only energy expenditure and effects on social relationships but also physical damage. On that account, natural selection must favor aggression only when its benefits outnumber its costs. Since aggression implicates costs on both aggressors and victims, it would be expected that selection would favor those individuals who reduce the costs of aggression, but at the same time, favor those who can -adequately- use agonistic episodes to gain resources or to resolve conflicts in favor to themselves. Conflict generated between opponents can implicate high costs in social relationships terms, therefore, several mechanisms of conflict solution have evolved. Such is the case of reconciliatory behavior, where cooperation plays an important role as its cause and consequence.

Keywords : social conflict; aggression; evolution; reconciliation.

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