Examination of prior contest experience and the retention of winner and loser effects.

ABSTRACT: In many animal taxa, prior contest experience affects future performance such that winning increases the chances of winning in the future (winner effect) and losing increases the chances of losing in the future (loser effect). It is, however, not clear whether this pattern typically arises from experience effects on actual or perceived fighting ability (or both). In this study, we looked at winner and loser effects in the jumping spider Phidippus clarus. We assigned winning or losing experience to spiders and tested them against opponents of similar fighting ability in subsequent contests at 1-, 2-, 5-, and 24-h intervals. We examined the strength of winner and loser effects, how long effects persist, as well as how experience affected perceived and actual fighting ability. Our results dem

SUBMITTER: Kasumovic MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2821427 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature