Using Flies to Understand Social Networks.

Many animals live in groups and interact with each other, creating an organized collective structure. Social network analysis (SNA) is a statistical tool that aids in revealing and understanding the organized patterns of shared social connections between individuals in groups. Surprisingly, the application of SNA revealed that , previously considered a solitary organism, displays group dynamics and that the structure of group life is inherited.

The gene affects social networks.

displays social behaviors including courtship, mating, aggression, and group foraging. Recent studies employed social network analyses (SNAs) to show that strains differ in their group behavior, suggesting that genes influence social network phenotypes. Aside from genes associated with sensory function, few studies address the genetic underpinnings of these networks.

Network analyses reveal structure in insect social groups.

Animals, from flies to humans, interact with each other, forming complex relationships and structured social interaction networks. These networks describe patterns of interactions that occur within a group. Social network analysis (SNA) is the statistical analysis of nodes, which represent individuals within a network who are connected by social ties, often called edges, that represent interactions between individuals.