<p>Personality
is an intriguing phenomenon in populations because it constrains behavioural
flexibility. One theory suggests that personality could be generated and
maintained if dependent on asset protection. It is predicted that trade–offs
with fitness expectations and survival probability encourage consistent
behavioural differences among individuals (personality). Although not mutually
exclusive, the social niche specialisation hypothesis suggests that a group of
individuals that repeatedly interact will develop personality to avoid costly
social conflict. The point at which behavioural consistency originates in the
social niche hypothesis is still unclear, with predictions for development
after a change in social status. In the facultative
cooperatively breeding Seychelles warbler (<i>Acrocephalus
sechellensis</i>), residing on Cousin Island, breeding vacancies are limited and
this forces individuals into different social roles. We used this system to
test whether reproductive and social state predicted among–individual
differences in exploration. We had two predictions. Firstly, that an individual’s start in life can predict personality,
whereby young individuals with a good start to life (associated
with early age reproduction and earlier onset survival senescence) are fast
explorers, suggesting reproductive state–dependence.
Secondly, that an individual’s social status can
predict personality, whereby dominant
individuals will be fast explorers suggesting that the behaviour is social
state–dependent. Neither of the
behaviours were associated with social state and social state did not affect behavioural
consistency. However, novel object exploration was associated with a proxy of reproductive
state. Our results provide further support for state being a mechanism for
generating individual differences in behaviour. </p
