Data from: Changes in dominance status erode personality and behavioral syndromes

The interplay between consistent individual differences in behavior (i.e., animal personality) and behavioral plasticity has recently attracted increased interest. We used male Australian field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) to investigate how dominance status influences the consistency and plasticity of different personality traits, namely boldness, exploration, and activity, by experimentally manipulating dominance status between measuring sessions. We found that dominants that became subordinate when socially challenged, shifted their behavior, becoming less bold, explorative, and active, whereas subordinates that became dominant, became bolder, more explorative, and more active. Individuals that experienced no change in dominance status did not alter their behavior. Changes in dominance status reduced the repeatability of the putative personality traits of exploration and activity while not affecting the repeatability of boldness. Moreover, changes in dominance status affected the presence of correlations between some personality traits, but not others. Finally, calling behavior was related to current and future dominance and explorative tendencies. We discuss the broader evolutionary and ecological implications of our findings and propose that changes in social status should be considered when investigating behavioral syndromes and the interplay between animal personality and behavioral plasticity.

行为的稳定个体差异（即动物个性（animal personality））与行为可塑性之间的交互作用，近年来受到了日益广泛的关注。本研究以雄性澳洲田野蟋蟀（Teleogryllus oceanicus）为实验对象，通过在测量周期之间对优势地位进行实验性操控，探究优势地位如何影响大胆性、探索性与活动性这三类不同个性特质的稳定性与可塑性。研究发现，在社交挑战中从优势个体转为从属地位的雄性蟋蟀，其行为会发生改变：大胆性、探索性与活动性均有所下降；而原本从属、后来获得优势地位的个体，则表现出更大胆、更具探索性与更高活动性的行为变化。优势地位未发生改变的个体，其行为则无显著变化。优势地位的改变会降低探索性与活动性这两类推定个性特质的重复性，但对大胆性的重复性无显著影响。此外，优势地位的改变会影响部分个性特质间的相关性，但并非所有特质间的相关性均受其影响。最后，鸣唱行为与当前及未来的优势地位、探索倾向均存在关联。本研究讨论了研究发现的更广泛的进化与生态学意义，并提出在探究行为综合征以及动物个性与行为可塑性的交互作用时，应当将社会地位的改变纳入考量范畴。