Abstract
Our understanding of the behavioral and physiological mechanisms of monogamy largely comes from studies of behavioral interactions unique to pair-bonded individuals. By focusing on these highly marked behaviors, a remarkable conservation in the mechanisms underlying pair bonding has been revealed; however, we continue to know very little about the range of behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms that could explain the great diversity of pair-bonding phenotypes that exists both within and across species. In order to capture the dynamic nature of bonds over time and across contexts, we need specific, operationally-defined behavioral variables relevant across such a diversity of scenarios. Additionally, we need to be able to situate these behavioral variables within broader frameworks that allow us to interpret and compare patterns seen across species. Here I review what is known about behavioral synchrony with respect to pair bonding and discuss using synchrony as such a variable as well as a framework to expand on our understanding of pair bonding across timescales, contexts and species. First, I discuss the importance of behavioral synchrony and parental coordination for reproductive success in monogamous biparental bird species. Second, I highlight research documenting the critical importance of interpersonal coordination for human social relationships. Finally, I present recent work that experimentally bridges these lines of research by quantifying moment-to-moment behavioral synchrony during brief social interactions in zebra finch dyads. All together, these distinct perspectives support the notion that synchrony (1) is a shared premise for sociality across species, (2) is deeply shaped by social experiences, and (3) exists across timescales, behaviors, and levels of physiology. Conceptualizing pair bonding through the framework of behavioral synchrony is likely to facilitate a deeper understanding of the nuances of how social experiences and interactions impact the brain and behavior.
Highlights
Monogamy and Pair BondingThe word monogamy permeates scientific and popular literature on animals, including humans (Wundt, 1894; Wickler and Seibt, 1981; Dewsbury, 1988)
With respect to the first hypothesis, we showed calling activity during greeting behavior was highest during initial courtship, and there was a general pattern of decreased activity across the three stages of pair bonding (Figure 1C)
These findings are consistent with the patterns described throughout the review and suggest that behavioral synchrony plays a general role in social relationships rather than being specific to pair bonding
Summary
The word monogamy permeates scientific and popular literature on animals, including humans (Wundt, 1894; Wickler and Seibt, 1981; Dewsbury, 1988). For species that form and actively maintain life-long pair bonds, pair-directed behavior during breeding periods and non-breeding periods can be quite different (Black and Hulme, 1996), it is unclear how to compare pair bonds between breeding and non-breeding periods Is this another case in which highly marked behavioral interactions may not be relevant across species and contexts, but this confound raises another set of challenges. There is evidence, that for monogamous species reproductive success is related to behavioral, not genetic, compatibility between partners (Ihle et al, 2015), and for species that form long-term pair bonds, reproductive success increases with time (Griggio and Hoi, 2011) This highlights the importance of assessing reproductive success across an individuals’ lifespan and raises the question of how a pair’s experience outside of breeding cycles impacts reproductive success. Understanding the challenges associated with studying behavioral synchrony itself is necessary in order to determine how behavioral synchrony may be used as a variable to deepen our understanding of pair bonding
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