A model for the emergence of social organization in primates

TL;DR

This paper introduces a model that explains how social organization in primates emerges, linking communication signals, brain size, and social network structure through self-organizing processes.

Contribution

It provides a novel model that qualitatively reproduces the relationship between communication repertoire, neocortex size, and social network topology in primates.

Findings

Model reproduces observed correlations between signals and social structure

Highlights role of neocortex size in social organization

Supports self-organization as a mechanism for social complexity

Abstract

Recent studies have established an apparent relationship between the repertoire of signals used for communication and neocortex size of different species of primates and the topology of the social network formed by the interactions between individuals. Inspired by these results, we have developed a model that qualitatively reproduces these observations. The model presents the social organization as a self organized processes where the size of the repertoire in one case and of the neocortex in another play a highly relevant role.