title: An evolutionary framework for studying mechanisms of social behavior.
abstract: Social interactions are central to most animals and have a fundamental impact upon the phenotype of an individual. Social behavior (social interactions among conspecifics) represents a central challenge to the integration of the functional and mechanistic bases of complex behavior. Traditionally, studies of proximate and ultimate elements of social behavior have been conducted by distinct groups of researchers, with little communication across perceived disciplinary boundaries. However, recent technological advances, coupled with increased recognition of the substantial variation in mechanisms underlying social interactions, should compel investigators from divergent disciplines to pursue more integrative analyses of social behavior. We propose an integrative conceptual framework intended to guide researchers towards a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and maintenance of mechanisms governing variation in sociality.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Integrative Biology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: hans@utexas.edu.
authors.forename: Hans A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: Smith College, Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Northampton, MA 01063, USA.
authors.forename: Annaliese K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Beery
authors.affiliation: University of California, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Blumstein
authors.affiliation: Princeton University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton, NJ 08644, USA.
authors.forename: Iain D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Couzin
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama, Department of Biological Sciences, 300 Hackberry Lane, Box 870344, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Earley
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA.
authors.forename: Loren D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Department of Psychology and Centre for Neuroscience, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E9, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hurd
authors.affiliation: University of California at Berkeley, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720-3160, USA.
authors.forename: Eileen A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lacey
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Integrative Biology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Phelps
authors.affiliation: Miami University, Department of Biology, Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.affiliation: University of Bern, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Division of Behavioural Ecology, Wohlenstrasse 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taborsky
authors.affiliation: Emory University, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
authors.forename: Larry J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA. Electronic address: dr2497@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Dustin R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rubenstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D055669:Ecological and Environmental Phenomena; D055614:Genetic Phenomena; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior
keywords: complex sociality; evolution; genomics; group-living; hormones; neural circuits; social behavior