Arizona State University (ASU) BIO331 Animal Behavior Exam 1 Practice

The 'selfish herd' theory is fundamentally about how animals group together primarily as a strategy to reduce their chances of being preyed upon. This theory posits that when individuals group together, they position themselves in such a way as to minimize their risk of predation.

In a group, an individual can "selfishly" seek to place others between itself and a predator. By doing so, the individual is effectively using the presence of other members to enhance its own safety. The concept emphasizes that the motivation for animals to form groups comes from the instinct to protect themselves from predators, rather than from more altruistic reasons such as resource sharing or enhancing mating opportunities.

Therefore, the correct answer ties directly to this protective behavior, highlighting how being part of a group can help an individual reduce its exposure to predation. The other options, while they touch on aspects of animal behavior in groups, do not capture this core principle of the 'selfish herd' theory.