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Social play as a tool for developing social-cognitive skills in a wild population of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis)

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Date Issued:
2012
Summary:
The purposes of this dissertation were to identify complex social-cognitive behaviors in a population of wild Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) using long-term video archives and identify developmental trends in those behaviors. Chapter One analyzed calf behavior during foraging events involving maternal teaching in order to identify mechanisms for sharing information between mother and calf... The calves' behavior was affected by the referencing cues, supporting the presence of joint attention and true teaching behavior....Chapter Two observed the altered benthic foraging behavior of juvenile play groups, in which juveniles took turns chasing the fish and using referencing gestures to reference the position of the fish to other individuals during the chase, despite the ability of these young, independent dolphins to catch fish much more quickly and efficiently alson... The third chapter analyzed social object play in which dolphins passed pieces of seaweed between individuals. The data clarified developmental trends in the play, and suggested social-cognitive abilities needed for participation.
Title: Social play as a tool for developing social-cognitive skills in a wild population of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis).
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Name(s): Bender, Courtney Elizabeth.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Issued: 2012
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Physical Form: electronic
Extent: xi, 132 p. : ill. (some col.)
Language(s): English
Summary: The purposes of this dissertation were to identify complex social-cognitive behaviors in a population of wild Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) using long-term video archives and identify developmental trends in those behaviors. Chapter One analyzed calf behavior during foraging events involving maternal teaching in order to identify mechanisms for sharing information between mother and calf... The calves' behavior was affected by the referencing cues, supporting the presence of joint attention and true teaching behavior....Chapter Two observed the altered benthic foraging behavior of juvenile play groups, in which juveniles took turns chasing the fish and using referencing gestures to reference the position of the fish to other individuals during the chase, despite the ability of these young, independent dolphins to catch fish much more quickly and efficiently alson... The third chapter analyzed social object play in which dolphins passed pieces of seaweed between individuals. The data clarified developmental trends in the play, and suggested social-cognitive abilities needed for participation.
Identifier: 827546142 (oclc), 3358280 (digitool), FADT3358280 (IID), fau:4005 (fedora)
Note(s): by Courtney Elizabeth Bender.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012.
Includes bibliography.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
System requirements: Adobe Reader.
Subject(s): Social behavior in animals
Cognition in animals
Dolphins -- Behavior
Atlantic spotted dolphin
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3358280
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU