The Role of Social Context in Self‐Grooming Patterns Variability of the Common Hamster ( <i>Cricetus cricetus</i> )

ABSTRACT Self‐grooming is an ancient and innate behavior observed across numerous animal species, serving essential survival functions such as parasite removal, thermoregulation, and stress regulation. In rodents, self‐grooming is often characterized by stereotyped sequences known as syntactic chains. However, the extent of their variability across social contexts remains unclear. In this study, we used information theory metrics (entropy and linearity) in combination with network analysis to systematically evaluate the variability and organizational patterns of grooming sequences in male common hamsters ( Cricetus cricetus ) under three experimental conditions: water‐induced grooming (WT), male–male interaction (MT), and male–female interaction (FT). We found significant differences in sequence structure across conditions. WT demonstrated the longest grooming sequences, whereas FT showed the shortest. Water‐induced grooming exhibited high entropy and low linearity, suggesting greater behavioral variability and less stereotypy. In contrast, social contexts (MT and FT) showed the opposite pattern, reflecting more stereotyped and structured sequences. Network analysis revealed no significant differences in modularity indices, suggesting that the overall network structure of self‐grooming elements is similarly organized across contexts. However, transition probability matrices identified distinct context‐dependent patterns. Specifically, WT sequences were cyclic, with frequent returns to forepaw licking, whereas MT and FT sequences were shorter and more directed, typically concluding with anogenital grooming. These results suggest that hamster self‐grooming is a flexible, context‐dependent behavior, with social interactions promoting more structured and less variable sequences. Our integrative approach, combining information theory and ethological analysis, provides a robust framework for investigating behavioral organization. The quantitative metrics of entropy and linearity offer objective measures for assessing how various factors influence self‐grooming patterns, demonstrating that social context significantly impacts structural organization by reducing variability while increasing behavioral stereotypy.