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Singing is not associated with social complexity across species

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 September 2021

Jan Verpooten Open the ORCID record for Jan Verpooten [Opens in a new window]  and
Marcel Eens
Jan Verpooten
Affiliation:
Behavioral Engineering Research Group, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 69 – bus 3545, 3000 Leuven, Belgium jan.verpooten@kuleuven.be; https://www.janverpooten.com/
Marcel Eens
Affiliation:
Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium marcel.eens@uantwerpen.be; https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/staff/marcel-eens/
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Abstract

Based on their social bonding hypothesis, Savage et al. predict a relation between “musical” behaviors and social complexity across species. However, our qualitative comparative review suggests that, although learned contact calls are positively associated with complex social dynamics across species, songs are not. Yet, in contrast to songs, and arguably consistent with their functions, contact calls are not particularly music-like.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 44 , 2021 , e92
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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