Endocrine modulation of self- and other-models: A cross-species framework for dyadic social interaction

Social interactions across species rely on neural representations of self- and other-models that guide sequential behavioral exchanges. In this review, we propose an integrated framework in which these internal models interact with endocrine systems to regulate mating behavior and mother-infant bonding. External sensory cues and internal bodily states are combined in the central nervous system to generate predictions about a partner's actions and to adjust one's own behavior accordingly. Sex hormones organize and activate sex-specific neural circuits that stabilize male- and female-type behavioral sequences while reducing prediction errors during dyadic exchanges. In maternal care, oxytocin modulates both infant attachment and maternal responsiveness, reshaping sensory circuits that process offspring cues through experience-dependent plasticity. These findings suggest that endocrine regulation is essential for shaping social signal emission and perception and dynamically adjusting self- and other-models, reducing prediction errors, and promoting coordinated social behavior.