title: Mate-choice copying, social information processing, and the roles of oxytocin.
abstract: Social and sexual behaviors, including that of mate choice, are dependent on social information. Mate choice can be modified by prior and ongoing social factors and experience. The mate choice decisions of one individual can be influenced by either the actual or potential mate choice of another female or male. Such non-independent mate choice, where individuals gain social information and socially learn about and recognizes potential mates by observing the choices of another female or male, has been termed "mate-choice copying". Here we first briefly review how, why, and under what circumstances individuals engage in mate-choice copying. Secondly, we review the neurobiological mechanisms underlying mate-choice copying. In particular, we consider the roles of the nonapeptide, oxytocin, in the processing of social information and the expression of mate-choice copying.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C2, Canada; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada. Electronic address: kavalier@uwo.ca.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kavaliers
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matta
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Choleris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: Mate preference; Sexual behavior; Social learning; Social odors; Social recognition