Integrating personality research and animal contest theory: aggressiveness in the green swordtail Xiphophorus helleri.

ABSTRACT: Aggression occurs when individuals compete over limiting resources. While theoretical studies have long placed a strong emphasis on context-specificity of aggression, there is increasing recognition that consistent behavioural differences exist among individuals, and that aggressiveness may be an important component of individual personality. Though empirical studies tend to focus on one aspect or the other, we suggest there is merit in modelling both within- and among-individual variation in agonistic behaviour simultaneously. Here, we demonstrate how this can be achieved using multivariate linear mixed effect models. Using data from repeated mirror trials and dyadic interactions of male green swordtails, Xiphophorus helleri, we show repeatable components of (co)variation in a suite of ag

SUBMITTER: Wilson AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3227624 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature