ETHOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF DOMINANCE AND TERRITORY IN A HUMAN CAPTIVE POPULATION

• NCJ Number: 14488
• Journal: Social Forces Volume: 52 Issue: 4 Dated: (JUNE 1974) Pages: 447-455
• Author(s): W T AUSTIN; F L BATES
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: University of North Carolina Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDY OF 45 INMATES OF A GEORGIA WORK CAMP, INVOLVING OBSERVATION OF BEHAVIORS, SUCH AS FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF CONTACTS, AND AGRESSIVE, TENSE, OR STRESSED BEHAVIORS.

Abstract

ANALYSES WERE CONDUCTED OF DOMINANCE AND TERRITORIALITY PHENOMENA DISPLAYED BY 45 INMATES CONFINED TO A PRISON CAMP BULLPEN. TECHNIQUES AND PERSPECTIVES OF ETHOLOGY, THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR, WERE EMPLOYED IN ASSESSING EACH INMATE'S RELATIVE DOMINANCE BY RECORDING INTERACTIONAL CONDUCT, SUCH AS FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF CONTACT OR FREQUENCY OF INITIATING CONTACT. ALSO RECORDED WAS THE FREQUENCY OF AGONISTIC EPISODES, WHICH INVOLVE SUCH BEHAVIORS AS AGGRESSIVE ACTS, STARES, AVERTED GAZES, VOCAL ALARMS, OR GRIMACES. DOMINANCE HIERARCHIES DERIVED FROM THE TWO METHODS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED. DOMINANT INMATES TENDED TO POSSESS MORE VALUED OBJECTS AND SPATIAL TERRITORY WITHIN THE BULLPEN THAN INMATES OF LESSER DOMINANCE. THE FEASIBILITY OF APPLYING ETHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES TO A SOCIAL SETTING IS TESTED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)