Group size matters when determining who is dominant, at least according to human infants. The team believes this shows infants as young as six months of age are able to assess social dominance by looking at the numerical size of competing groups, an ancient evolutionary ability.
Researchers found infants evaluate which group is dominant by the number of members. The team showed 20 infants animations showing two groups of individuals, one with more members and one with less. One member from each group was shown attempting to cross a platform at the same time.
Infants in the study showed more surprise if a member from the larger group gave way to a member from the smaller group, than when the opposite occurred.
Original research paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 16, 2015.
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