Despot baboons leave losers hungry
Thursday, 20 Nov 2008 17:00
Baboons follow their leader
Science In Focus
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Theories that social animals prefer "democratic" to "despotic" decisions have received a setback thanks to the habits of the unsociable baboon.
It appears baboon leaders who choose where to eat will be followed by the group – even if that choice means significantly less food than might have otherwise been the case.
Andrew King of the Institute of Zoology and University College London said he believes leadership in baboons works despite these downsides.
"Despite short-term costs - in this case, less food - followers may gain considerable long-term benefits, like reduced risk of being eaten by a leopard," he explains.
Research into baboon's social lives resulted in more revealing findings about their everyday habits.
The cult of the leader is especially strong, it seems. He gathers 'favourites' around him who get most of the leftovers – and, of course, do most of the grooming – reinforcing the idea that strong social ties bring equally strong advantages.
Research appearing in today's issue of the Current Biology journal concludes by saying the keys to leadership principles in the business world may be found in baboons' habits.
Mr King added: "Trying to understand how primates like baboons make group decisions, how leaders emerge, and why followers, well, follow them, may well help us identify how our ancestors acquired the psychological foundations upon which modern leadership appears to be based."