Friday fun: You're such an animal!

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As humans, we like to think of ourselves as highly civilized, intelligent beings, clearly distinct from our animal relatives. And we are. But in some ways we are also quite similar, especially when it comes to our social behaviors.

The Mating Dance

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Those who have watched the series Planet Earth (or the film Earth) may be familiar with this amazing mating display that males of one species of Birds of Paradise perform for their chosen females. They clear a little dance floor in the forest, let out a mating cry, flap out their wings so they look like a big smiley face, and then start doing a jig. You can watch a clip here.

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Humans, too, use dance as a means of demonstrating their talents (or flaunting their assets) to love interests. A recent study suggests that women are especially attracted to men who are good dancers, specifically those who move their head and torso and have a lot of variety, rather than just flailing their arms around. Presumably good dancing is attractive because it demonstrates physical strength and coordination. You can find clips of the dancing avatars used in the study here.

But don't despair if you have two left feet, bad dancers can be endearing too...

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The Wolf Pack

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Many canine species form packs that live and hunt together - and protect and care for one another. 

Not surprisingly, we like to run in packs too...

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Mutual Grooming

Common in many different animal species, mutual grooming has been called the glue of primate life. It serves not only to maintain cleanliness but also to facilitate social bonding. Humans are also known to engage in mutual grooming, and research suggests that it is associated with relationship satisfaction and trust.  

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Even yoga is inspired by animals. 

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Further reading:

Neave N, McCarty K, Freynik J, Caplan N, Hönekopp J, & Fink B (2011). Male dance moves that catch a woman's eye. Biology letters, 7 (2), 221-4 PMID: 20826469