Fission–fusion society

A social system in which group membership changes as subgroups repeatedly split and rejoin. Individuals maintain social ties across temporary changes in group composition.

Fission–fusion dynamics: A pattern in which animal groups repeatedly divide into smaller units and later reunite. This broader process describes the changing subgroup membership that defines the society.
Chimpanzee: A great ape native to equatorial Africa, living in communities with fluid subgroup membership. Chimpanzee communities are a canonical case of frequent subgroup splitting and reunion.
Animal sociality: The ways animals interact and form relationships or groups with members of their own species. Fission–fusion society is a particular form of animal sociality.
Stable social group: A group whose membership and composition remain relatively consistent over time. Its persistent membership contrasts with repeated subgroup separation and reunion.
Group cohesion: The forces and relationships that keep members of a group together. Cohesion helps explain why dispersed subgroups later reunite.
Common bottlenose dolphin: A coastal and offshore dolphin species with populations that often form fluid associations. Its shifting associations show fission–fusion organization in a marine mammal.
Social group: A set of individuals connected through recurring interactions or shared membership. The larger group can remain meaningful even when its members are apart.
Territoriality: The defense or control of an area by an individual or group. Territorial groups may remain spatially cohesive, unlike groups that routinely disperse.
Social network: A structure of social relationships linking individuals or groups. Stable ties can persist even when individuals occupy separate subgroups.
Spotted hyena: A social carnivore that lives in clans whose members often forage in temporary subgroups. Hyena clans remain socially connected while individuals forage apart.

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