LAUSR

We argue that the study of social complexity can follow two different approaches, based on how it is seen from the outside or on how it is experienced from within. Recent focus has been on the former with social complexity emerging from the interactions of group members. Here, we take the view from within and deal with the social complexity that individual group members may experience, exploring complexity arising from aspects of the social structure and social organization. We review a variety of sources of social complexity in terms of variation between and within social relationships, variation in opportunities to interact with different group members, and the role of third parties. We then examine how individuals can cope with the social complexity they face. We conclude that a refined view of social relationships at different levels is needed to study the social complexity faced by individual group members and emphasize the potential contribution of the view from within to the study of social complexity and cognition.Significance statementAnimals may experience different degrees of complexity in their social groups. Instead of viewing social complexity as an emergent property of the interactions exchanged by group members, we focus on the social complexity individual group members may experience. We examine how aspects of social structure and social organization, such as the variation between and within social relationships, the variation in opportunities to interact with different group members, and the role of third parties, could create challenges and sources of complexity for individual group members. We then evaluate how emotions and cognitive abilities could be used by animals of different species to navigate the social complexity they experience and make appropriate decisions. We show that there are neglected sources of social complexity related to social relationships that derive from them changing over time and consisting of different components. We conclude by emphasizing that a change in perspective is needed to study how cognition is linked to the social complexity individual group members may experience.