The need to take its place in a group or family hierarchy is one of the most important and most complex biological programs. We can often see how even a two-year-old child is trying to "build" parents, grandparents, and sometimes it takes success. For representatives of many species, this set of programs is significant, but for some it will mean extremely. Who finds himself in the team leader and for what reasons? About this one of the chapters of the book of Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Vyacheslav Dubynin "Brain and its needs."
Brain Centers related to leadership and subordination
The key center is almond, located in the depths of the temporal shares of large hemispheres. This should not be surprised because the activity of the almond neural network is indeed the basis for the realization of various types of social behavior, with the exception of sexual and parental.
Almond (amygdalar complex) is a complex system of structures, within which a dozen nuclei interacts: lateral, basolateral, centering, cortical. They have a large number of inputs from sensory systems, are associated with a hypothalamus, a blue spot, hippocampus, frontal bark, a centered medium brain. Intensively studies the participation of almonds in the formation of emotional memory; There is a lot of information on the sexual dimorphism of this area (men are larger), roles in the development of sociophobia, post-traumatic disorders, and even in the formation of human political views.
In general, apparently, there is a functional specialization of various almond regions: one nucleus is mainly engaged in territorial behavior, the other - the leadership, the third - aggression, fourth - the control of sexual motivation. But nevertheless, an excessively rigid binding of amygdarlar structures to certain functions is not justified, since many tasks are solved by neural networks of various almond regions together.
During evolution and in assessing individual variations, the volume of almonds turns out to be conjugate with the degree of complexity of intravidal relations. People (and animals) with a larger almond socially more active, they maintain more connections with relatives, and the degree of complexity of such ties above.
It is known that there is a correlation between the size (volume) of human almonds and its desire to interact with other people. For example, a statistical connection is established with the number of number of addressee numbers in a mobile phone or the number of friends on social networks. If the almond is damaged, then the desire for social interaction (including leadership) can generally disappear.
The almond neurons are excited when someone violates our individual distances. It has already been mentioned that the comfortable individual distance for different people is very different. But in any case, each of us has an idea of an individual distance, and when the interlocutor is suited too close, discomfort is felt. At this point, the right, and left almonds are activated; When bilateral damage to these zones, a person stops tracking the distance. Almonds are very powerful activated when we see or hear (or we smell) various manifestations of emotions. Mirror neurons are associated with it, which transfer emotions to us experienced by another person. For example, mirror neurons work if the doctor represents itself on the patient's place. Here, in Almond, there are cells that are activated if the imitation gives us pleasure. Imitate the leader's flocks very significantly, it is an important source of positive emotions. If the subordinate individual managed to do the same as the leader, then, accordingly, this individual in the brain allocated dopamine and caused positive experiences.
Establishing social justice in communities
Almond is very significant for building a global hierarchy, it tracks not only the relationship "leader-subordinate", but also the interaction between equal individuals. In large stars, there are often situations where ten bavians or monkeys are about the same in their status. Almond is watching the Marthaw of your status get too much. It is possible to call it envy, and it is possible - social justice in relations with equal in rank.
In the book of Primatologist, França de Vaal, a very demonstrative experiment with two equal ranks in a hundred monkey-kapuchins are described (a video of this experience you can easily find on the Internet). Both Capuchins are trained to perform the same task, and the animals are in neighboring cells and see what a neighbor is perfect. The researcher puts token-pebbles from the outside of the cell next to the grille. Kapuchin should take this pebble and give a scientist, for which he gets some food (that is, there is a "exchange" of a fabric to food). If a monkey sitting in the right cage, in the award to give grape, and the one that is located in the left cell is a piece of cucumber, then the tantrum will begin at the second Capuchin very quickly. For the first time, he, of course, will take the cucumber, even bit it off. And with bewilderment look at the neighbor, who eats grapes. If the second time to give a monkey in the left cucumber, then the vegetable will be thrown out. And for the third time, Kapuchin will arrange a riot, will shake the cage and indignantly scream. So he protests against violation of justice.
The brain tracks such situations, and, apparently, they are essentially detected by the neurons of the almonds.
Many philosophers and psychologists were absolutely confident that the idea of equality and fraternity is characteristic of only a person and no earlier than the times of the Great French Revolution. But even such small monkeys like kapuchins demonstrate an understanding of justice. What to say about chimpanzees - they sometimes even ready to abandon grapes (yes, it is so; justice plus empathius), if a neighbor gets just a cucumber!
However, if the hierarchy interferes with the distribution of labor and awards, everything changes here, and there is no talk about any justice of speech. In one of the experiments, four crows were in total aviary for some time, and they had a cladding order. Next, Raven was taught to press food to press the lever - they gave small portions of food only after committing the correct action. What happened some time? It was found that in this small community, most of all pressures make the lowest station, and less than all - the dominant: 80% versus 2%. At the same time, of course, the low-edged bird does not receive a lion's share of food, but only 30-35% of the feed. Other crows enjoyed "earned" by her food, assigning 20-25%, although the dominant of presidents almost does not. This is such "exploitation" of low-edging (as a rule, young) individuals.
Similar kinds of effects demonstrating how the social hierarchy is imposed on the idea of justice, is also detected in experiments on rats and, of course, on monkeys. The division of labor in communities is a very important factor, this allows the flock to function more effectively. The division of labor can also be seen in rodents - naked farms, beavers (someone brings trees, someone builds the dam).
In flocks with temporary leaders, without a clear hierarchy and the explicit separation of functions, for example, in migratory deer flocks or flocks of wild geese, which fly to Lapland, is of great importance to imitating the most experienced member of the community. In this case, mirror neurons work, and with their help on the leader (this is often an elderly female) all other individuals are focused.
In the hierarchically organized flock, everything is much more complicated. There are several degrees of subordination, and the more harder the flocks, the more clear the division of labor and the more ritualized the relationship between subordinates and superior. For example, a pack of bavians in combat order comes along the savannah. They can attack the leopard or lion, and you need to be ready for everything. Therefore, powerful young males go along the edges, females with young - in the center. Ahead of the flocks - scouts, this is usually the elderly experienced males. Such a "campaign" is very well organized and configured.
In monkey stages, leaders, as a rule, are males. The females there exists a parallel hierarchy that is related to how close is the ovulation, is this female pregnant, whether it feeds the young breast. In the case of pregnancy or the presence of a young female status rises. The status of females, with whom the leader falls, the highest.
An example of complex monkey flocks are Geland communities. These are baboran-like large monkeys that live in Ethiopia on high-mountainous flat territories and feed on cereals. In a hundred approximately 50 members, they wander on the plain, looking for and collecting food. Gelad has a very clear division of labor. Community members are divided on time, scouts and collectors. Various flocks move along the plain not far from each other. Sometimes a few hundred gelad can go in one direction. Of course, they have very interesting relationships and inside the pack, and between the flocks. It is on the gelands that, for example, an elderly, but experienced and deserving the respect of the male, the power retains the power for a long time, despite the claims of young and cheeky.
Brain - Arena Competition Many Programs
Once again, we emphasize that, despite the fact that the leadership is an important program, it is actively installed in the brain far from everyone. There are people who strive to break out and escape from the networks and stereotypes of the hierarchy, subordination, leadership. They are called downshifters, and they argue something like this: "Why will I work more than you need? Already earned enough to modestly live somewhere in warm countries or at least relax there for half a year ... I will not work more than necessary! " Such an approach is among other things supported by the program saving programs: "Log's program" and what we call "the desire for freedom."
It is important to understand that the nervous system is an isna competition of very many programs. There are leadership programs, imitation of the leader, aggressiveness. But also there are programs that talk about the importance of freedom for our brain. About them, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov wrote: "Reflex of freedom - overcoming restrictions in freedom of movements: the basis of the freedom of the person."
Such programs and behavior sometimes allow an animal or person to escape from the social hierarchy, to exist to some extent freely and regardless of the flock and the team. Let not always successfully or not very long, but still such existence outside the community is possible.
So, in monkey stars, not all individuals are embedded in the hierarchy. It happens that the pack lives, and near, somewhere not very far, there is a group of two-three males or even a lonely male, which does not feel special discomfort. And he does not want to be a member of the structure, perform some social functions, but is so peculiar likeness of hermit and downshifter.
Read more about the book "Brain and its needs", read in the basis of "ideonics".