Abstract: Social network analysis has been widely used in studies of animal behavior. Application of social network analysis to animal behavior can identify the key individual in a social group, uncover the formation mechanisms of social associations, improves our understanding of the origin of sociality, and identify the links between individual behavior and population-level dynamic patterns by quantifying specific attributes (e.g. centrality, centralization). Here, we first present a brief history of social network analysis, and a description of basic concepts. Then, we discuss different approaches for inferring social networks from observing data, and introduce some social attributes. Thirdly, we highlight the necessity and approach of constructing null models. Finally, we review previous applications to animal behavior, propose that future studies should focus on both the dynamics of physical contact (e.g. fighting, grooming) and nonphysical contact (e.g. vocal communication), and on mixed-species societies, so that it will further our understanding of the ecological function of social behavior and cooperation theory.

Key words: Dynamic network, Social association, Vocal network, Randomization, Centrality, Centralization

摘要： 近年来，社会网络分析法被广泛用于动物行为学研究。它通过量化动物社会关系中的特定属性 (如中心度和中心势)，可辨识动物群体中的关键个体及其在群体中的作用，揭示动物社会交往的形成机制，深化人们对动物社会性起源、个体行为与种群动态格局间关系的理解。本文简要介绍了社会网络分析法的发展史和基本概念，然后阐述了如何建立网络及选择常用指标，强调了创建原模型的必要性及途径。最后着重评述了社会网络分析法在动物行为学研究中的应用现状，并提出未来应当关注直接身体接触 (如打斗和理毛) 和非肢体接触 (如声音通讯) 等不同交往形式的变动过程，以此构建社会交往的动态网络。同时也需要加强种间社交网络的研究，以便增进人们对社会行为的生态功能以及合作理论等问题的理解。

关键词: 动态网络, 社会交往, 声讯网络, 随机化, 中心度, 中心势