Evidence for the role of personality in stereotypy predisposition

It is often suggested that stereotypic behaviour represents a coping response to suboptimal environmental conditions. However, individuals of many species show different coping styles depending on their personality type. Therefore, personality is an important consideration when investigating why onl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animal behaviour 2013-06, Vol.85 (6), p.1145-1151
Main Authors: Ijichi, Carrie L., Collins, Lisa M., Elwood, Robert W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
basal ganglia
coping strategy
dopamine
Environmental conditions
Genotype & phenotype
personality
serotonin
Stereotypes
stereotypy
welfare
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Summary:It is often suggested that stereotypic behaviour represents a coping response to suboptimal environmental conditions. However, individuals of many species show different coping styles depending on their personality type. Therefore, personality is an important consideration when investigating why only certain individuals become stereotypic under suboptimal conditions. Thus, the aim of this review is to explore the possibility that personality, in particular coping style, may explain why certain individuals are predisposed to stereotypy. We review behavioural and physiological similarities between proactive and stereotypic individuals and suggest that they may in fact be the same phenotype. We also explore how these characteristics might predispose proactive individuals to stereotypy and how this is triggered by the environment. We conclude that personality factors relating to proactivity may mediate whether an animal expresses stereotypic behaviour and that the alternative strategy in such conditions is depression and emotional blunting. We conclude by outlining the animal welfare implications if this hypothesis is correct. •We discuss similarities between proactive and stereotypic individuals.•We explore how proactivity may predispose an individual to stereotypy.•We propose the alternative coping strategy to stress involves emotional blunting.•We outline the welfare implications of this hypothesis.
ISSN:0003-3472
1095-8282
DOI:10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.03.033