CARRER: Dynamics of Incipient Social Behavior

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Jakob, Elizabeth IBN-9507417 Abstract In order to understand how social behavior evolves, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the relative costs and benefits of group and solitary living for each individual. Dr. Jakob will conduct a quantitative study of a species that is at an early stage in social evolution and that exhibits both group and solitary living. This will permit her to examine factors that influence decision-making with regard to patterns of social interaction. Based on the results of these studies, Dr. Jakob will develop a dynamic model that will predict optimal social behavior. Mathematical models are valuable because they generate rigorous, testable predictions with explicitly stated assumptions. A dynamic model is an excellent tool for modeling individual choices in this system because dynamic models incorporate variables which describe a condition, such as energy level or current location, that can change over time and that influences the optimal decision. Importantly, the predictions of this model can then be tested in the field. Dr. Jakob has also integrated the participation of students in her research plan.