| The mouse that roared: neural mechanisms of social hierarchy Aug 23rd 2014, 00:00, by Fei Wang, Helmut W. Kessels, Hailan Hu The brain is capable of executing complex social interactions, the most prominent among which is the formation of dominance hierarchies. The concept of a hierarchical structure in social organization was first scientifically described by Norwegian scientist Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe in 1921, when he derived a 'pecking order' within a group of domestic fowl and proposed that such a hierarchical structure reduced intense conflicts and injuries, saved energy, and promoted social stability [1]. Since Schjelderup-Ebbe's work it is now generally accepted that the dominance hierarchy is a universal phenomenon among social animals, ranging from insects and fish, to rodents and primates [2]. |
