Consistency builds cohesion in the animal kingdom

Fish with consistent personalities are more successful in social groups and better at helping to build tighter shoals, according to new research published in Scientific Reports. Oscar Wilde may have considered consistency "the last refuge of the unimaginative" in human behaviour, but when it comes to fish, the element of predictability is critical. Such are the findings of new research led by the University of Bristol, which reveals that fish with consistent personalities are more successful in social groups and better at helping to build tighter shoals. The study, the results of which are published today in the journal Scientific Reports , is the first to provide evidence for why consistency is advantageous in a real animal environment as opposed to in a theoretical model. As such, the findings have shed new light on attempts to understand how and why certain personality traits evolve over time or in situations. Dr Christos Ioannou , an expert in animal collective behaviour from Bristol University who led the study, said: "It's not just how you act, but how consistently you do this that determines the success and cohesiveness of the group." A wide range of animals - from shoals of fish, to swarms of locusts, to zebras on the Serengeti - live in tightly-coordinated social groups. This can help them avoid predation and find food, but the collective coordination it requires can be a challenge.