ABSTRACT
Social structure in animals emerges as individuals in groups interact repeatedly in ways that are somewhat predictable. Explaining why some species have more complex social structures than others can provide important insight into the evolutionary and ecological links between social structure, social traits, and cognition. In the last 30 years, social network analysis has become a prominent method for studying animal sociality, with new perspectives and tools allowing major advances in our quantification and understanding of animal social systems. In this chapter, we highlight advances in two animal social systems, using examples of cooperation networks (vampire bats) and conflict networks (monk parakeets). We illustrate how network methods and interdisciplinary approaches are leading to novel insight into longstanding questions about how animal social systems emerge, the benefits individuals gain from their locations within these systems, and how individual behaviors shape network structures.
