Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

255
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
255
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood03:34

Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood

43.3K
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships. 
43.3K
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

98
The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing,...
98
Mate Choice01:20

Mate Choice

8.0K
Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
8.0K
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective01:23

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

92
In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
92
Attachment01:20

Attachment

58
Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that...
58

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Activity budgets, social behavior, and fitness outcomes associated with a baboon group fusion.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

When sexual selection through mate choice depletes versus exaggerates genetic variation: Unraveling the lek paradox.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

The Evolution of Same-sex Sexual Behavior: Using Old Theory to Answer New Questions.

Integrative and comparative biology·2026
Same author

Demographic, behavioral, and ecological data from a long-term field study of wild baboons in Amboseli, Kenya.

Scientific data·2026
Same author

Learned Sex Discrimination and the Evolution of Same-Sex Sexual Behavior.

The American naturalist·2025
Same author

Demographic, behavioral, and ecological data from a long-term field study of wild baboons in Amboseli, Kenya.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same journal

Traffic Reduction during COVID-19 Lockdowns Benefited Species Already Tolerant of Noise Pollution: An Acoustic Analysis.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

On Pachycephalosaurs, Trade-Offs, and the Historical Genesis of Sociosexual Display Structures.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Structured Landscapes Promote Persistence by Favoring Prudent Predators.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Can Carbon Economy Explain Leaf Dynamic Seasonality in a Tropical Seasonal Rainforest?

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Behavior and Physiology Outpace Form When Linking Traits to Ecological Responses within Populations: A Meta-Analysis.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Seminal Fluid Proteins as Regulation Factors for Optimizing Reproduction: A Modeling Approach.

The American naturalist·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2025

Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies
10:50

Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies

Published on: November 8, 2018

10.8K

The Evolution of Mate Attachment.

Brian A Lerch, Maria R Servedio

    The American Naturalist
    |September 26, 2024
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Attachment can evolve in monogamous pair bonds. As pairs age, individuals gain information about reproductive opportunities, reducing divorce probability and favoring attachment evolution.

    Keywords:
    divorcelovemate choicemate fidelitymonogamypair bonding

    More Related Videos

    Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
    05:39

    Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    Published on: December 2, 2022

    2.4K
    Individual Culturing of Tigriopus Copepods and Quantitative Analysis of Their Mate-guarding Behavior
    06:24

    Individual Culturing of Tigriopus Copepods and Quantitative Analysis of Their Mate-guarding Behavior

    Published on: September 26, 2018

    9.5K

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jun 12, 2025

    Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies
    10:50

    Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies

    Published on: November 8, 2018

    10.8K
    Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
    05:39

    Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    Published on: December 2, 2022

    2.4K
    Individual Culturing of Tigriopus Copepods and Quantitative Analysis of Their Mate-guarding Behavior
    06:24

    Individual Culturing of Tigriopus Copepods and Quantitative Analysis of Their Mate-guarding Behavior

    Published on: September 26, 2018

    9.5K

    Area of Science:

    • Evolutionary Biology
    • Behavioral Ecology
    • Animal Behavior

    Background:

    • The role of natural selection in the evolution of attachment within monogamous pair bonds remains underexplored.
    • Attachment is operationally defined as a behavioral modifier that reduces the probability of pair bond dissolution (divorce) as pair duration increases.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To develop a theoretical model for the evolution of attachment in monogamous species.
    • To identify ecological and social factors that promote the adaptive evolution of attachment.

    Main Methods:

    • A mathematical model was developed to simulate the evolution of attachment.
    • Individual-based simulations were used to test the robustness of the model's conclusions under various assumptions.

    Main Results:

    • Attachment evolves when divorce is more likely following poor reproductive opportunities, as experienced pairs secure higher-quality resources.
    • Pair duration serves as an information cue for reproductive opportunity quality, especially when divorce decisions rely on imperfect reproductive success data.
    • High survival rates, divorce propensities, and nest failure probabilities favor attachment evolution.

    Conclusions:

    • Attachment can be an adaptive strategy in monogamous relationships, influenced by factors like information assessment, survival consequences, and coevolution with divorce.
    • The study highlights the importance of viewing pair bonds as dynamic entities to understand the evolution of social behaviors.