A willingness to be bullied may be inherited

[^_^ 5,021]

PhysOrg.com) -- A new study of the behavior of marmots suggests that a willingness to accept some extent of bullying, rather than shying away from interactions that could lead to conflict, may be inherited.

...

The marmots live in large networks among the burrows of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, and the scientists observing them were able to map out these networks and and determine the relationships, the number of ties each individual had, and the interactions between the various individuals. Some of the interactions, such as mutual grooming, were friendly, but marmots can also be antagonistic towards each other, chasing other individuals or nipping them. By collating data on their interactions and data on family relationships, the researchers were able to determine which traits were likely to have been inherited.

The researchers were surprised to find that there was no evidence of heritability of traits concerned with initiating social interactions themselves, but there was a small genetic influence in traits concerned with being on the receiving end of interactions, particularly antagonistic ones. The tendency to be victimized was especially inheritable.

...

Being willing to tolerate abuse instead of avoiding interactions that may turn sour could be a trait that is favored by evolutionary forces, since the benefits of living in a group are greater than the drawback of at times being the victim of bullying.

...

Interacting with others was beneficial "even if the interactions are nasty." This may be because being in a group provides protection against predation, and being bullied is a better option than becoming prey.

http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-12-willingness-bullied-inherited.html