Direct-Benefit Effect in Herd Behavior
Zebras and other animals that are typically preyed upon often times demonstrate “herd behavior.” Animals demonstrating this behavior stay in very large groups and are often in open spaces, for example zebras on the plains or schools of fish in the sea. By sticking together in a herd, they reduce the chance of being singled out and becoming the one animal that gets killed by the predator. Although the herd acts as a group, each individual animal has a personal benefit from being in the group and is not necessarily acting for the herd’s benefit, but rather for its own individual benefit. This causes “herd behavior” to not necessarily have the best benefit for each animal in the group. For example, stampedes are a result of herd behavior and can cause injury and even death to other animals in the group. Although stampeding may not be the best option for the group, each animal will follow the group and participate in the stampede for its own personal safety.
This “herd mentality” shows a clear example of direct-benefit effect of following a crowd that we learned about in class. Although this herd mentality may be slightly info based if the stampede results from one animal discovering a predator and getting the whole group to retreat from it, it is most based on the direct benefit of an individual animal being a part of the group. Being part of the crowd has a direct benefit for each zebra as it increases each animal’s chance for survival.
Article: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-herd-behavior.htm
-ET