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Cited by 215Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorAnimal Behavior and ReproductionEvolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

Mating in the monogamous male: Behavioral consequences

Insel, Thomas R., Preston, Stephanie, Winslow, James T.·1995·Physiology & Behavior
DOI 10.1016/0031-9384(94)00362-9
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Abstract

In monogamous mammals, males typically show selective affiliation with a single mate, high levels of paternal care, and aggression towards conspecifics to protect male and offspring. We have previously described how selective aggression and affiliation increase after mating in the male prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster. The current studies further explored the behavioral changes that follow mating in the male of this species. The first set of experiments tested males on several behavioral measures after 24 h of either mating, social (but not sexual) exposure, or no social contact. After 24 h of mating, but not after the other two conditions, aggression and affiliation (partner preference) increased as previously reported. In addition, mated animals showed increased exploration of the open arms of a plus maze, consistent with decreased fearfulness. There were no group differences in paternal behavior (which was high in all three conditions) or analgesia (assessed by tail flick latency). To determine the minimum amount of mating necessary for the induction of aggression, males were tested in a resident-intruder paradigm after 1,6, or 24 h of mating. Although 1 h of mating was associated with a transient increase in the frequency of threats and attacks, the full spectrum of enduring aggression was observed only in the males given 24 h of mating. In a final experiment, the behavioral consequences of mating were studied in males of the closely related montane vole (Microtus montanus) which does not pair bond. Males of this nonmonogamous vole species did not show increased aggression, partner preference, or alterations in plus maze exploration following 24 h of mating. These results demonstrate the importance of prolonged mating for the induction of pair bonding in the monogamous male and they suggest that increases in aggression and affiliation are associated with decreased fearfulness in pair bonded males.

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  • When male prairie voles have cohabitated with females for two weeks, they develop intense selective aggression toward male and female strangers and not toward their female partners.

    “However, when males have cohabitated with females for two weeks, they develop intense selective aggression toward male and female strangers and not toward their female partners (Insel et al 1995; Wang et al 1997b).”

    From The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction (2012) · cites this paper as Insel et al 1995

  • Sexually naïve male prairie voles are highly social and show very little aggressive behavior toward novel conspecifics.

    “Sexually naïve male prairie voles are highly social and show very little aggressive behavior toward novel conspecifics (Insel et al 1995).”

    From The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction (2012) · cites this paper as Insel et al 1995

  • Pair bonding in prairie voles is operationally defined by two observable behaviors: partner preference and selective aggression.

    “Pair bonding in prairie voles is operationally defined based on two observable behaviors: preference for the partner over the stranger in a choice test (or “partner preference”); and intense aggression toward prairie voles other than the mate (or “selective aggression”) (Williams et al 1992; Winslow et al 1993; Insel et al 1995; Wang et al 1997b; Ahern et al 2009).”

    From The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction (2012) · cites this paper as Insel et al 1995

  • Following successful pair bond formation, male prairie voles (and sometimes females) will actively attack strangers including sexually receptive females.

    “following successful pair bond formation, male prairie voles (and sometimes females) will actively attack strangers including sexually receptive females (Aragona et al., 2006, Gobrogge et al., 2007, Insel et al., 1995, Wang et al., 1997, Winslow et al., 1993).”

    From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Insel et al., 1995

  • Prior to pair bonding, male prairie voles show little aggression toward strangers.

    “Prior to pair bonding, male prairie voles show little aggression toward strangers”

    From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Insel et al., 1995

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Authors
Insel, T. R., Preston, S., & Winslow, J. T.
Affiliations
National Institute of Mental Health (US)
Corresponding author
Insel, Thomas R.
ORCID
Insel, Thomas R.
Venue
Physiology & Behavior
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1995-04
Volume
57
Issue
4
Pages
615-627
ISSN
0031-9384 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/0031-9384(94)00362-9
OpenAlex
W2070780269
Cited by
215
References
30
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 8
FWCI
9.14
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Physiology & Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Keywords
monogamy, pair bonding, Microtus ochrogaster, montane vole, male aggression, mate preferences, social affiliation, paternal care, fearfulness, analgesia, resident-intruder paradigm, mating duration, social behavior
MeSH terms
Aggression, Analgesia, Animals, Anxiety, Arvicolinae, Exploratory Behavior, Female, Male, Paternal Behavior, Sexual Behavior, Animal, Social Behavior

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