Repeatability and consistency of female preference behaviours in a northern swordtail, Xiphophorus nigrensis

Cummings, Molly E.; Mollaghan, Diane M.

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.01.009

Cited by 87 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…the relative number of females that approach a stimulus in phonotaxis experiments, Gerhardt, 1995), the speed and direction on a walking compensator or of tethered movements (i.e phonotaxis in insects, Doherty, 1985),association time (i.e. the proportion of time spent in proximity to a visual stimulus in fish, Cummings and Mollaghan, 2006;Walling et al, 2010, andbirds Hoi andGriggio, 2011; or to a chemical stimulus in mammals, CluttonBrock and McAuliffe, 2009), or the number of signals elicited (i.e. contact calls in birds, Moravec et al, 2006).…”

Section: The Preference Function Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Computational mate choice: Theory and empirical evidence

Castellano

Cadeddu

Cermelli

2012

Behavioural Processes

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a b s t r a c tThe present review is based on the thesis that mate choice results from information-processing mechanisms governed by computational rules and that, to understand how females choose their mates, we should identify which are the sources of information and how they are used to make decisions. We describe mate choice as a three-step computational process and for each step we present theories and review empirical evidence. The first step is a perceptual process. It describes the acquisition of evidence, that is, how females use multiple cues and signals to assign an attractiveness value to prospective mates (the preference function hypothesis). The second step is a decisional process. It describes the construction of the decision variable (DV), which integrates evidence (private information by direct assessment), priors (public information), and value (perceived utility) of prospective mates into a quantity that is used by a decision rule (DR) to produce a choice. We make the assumption that females are optimal Bayesian decision makers and we derive a formal model of DV that can explain the effects of preference functions, mate copying, social context, and females' state and condition on the patterns of mate choice. The third step of mating decision is a deliberative process that depends on the DRs. We identify two main categories of DRs (absolute and comparative rules), and review the normative models of mate sampling tactics associated to them. We highlight the limits of the normative approach and present a class of computational models (sequential-sampling models) that are based on the assumption that DVs accumulate noisy evidence over time until a decision threshold is reached. These models force us to rethink the dichotomy between comparative and absolute decision rules, between discrimination and recognition, and even between rational and irrational choice. Since they have a robust biological basis, we think they may represent a useful theoretical tool for behavioural ecologist interested in integrating proximate and ultimate causes of mate choice.

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Section: The Preference Function Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Computational mate choice: Theory and empirical evidence

Castellano

Cadeddu

Cermelli

2012

Behavioural Processes

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“…For the latter, females are known to vary, for example, in what sorts of male traits they prefer (Brooks and Endler, 2001;Cummings and Mollaghan, 2006;Forstmeier and Birkhead, 2004;Jang and Greenfield, 2000;Morris et al, 2003). Less is known about variation among females in choosiness per se, that is, in the strength of their preference (but see Reinhold et al, 2002).…”

Section: Choosinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chapter 5 Insights for Behavioral Ecology from Behavioral Syndromes

Sih

Bell

2008

Advances in the Study of Behavior

540

466

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“…Males almost cease body growth after sexual maturation, and instead, invest in the growth of an extension of the caudal fin known as the "sword" that develops during sexual maturation (Basolo 1998a). Females have been shown to associate preferentially with males with larger swords in dichotomous mate choice experiments (Basolo 1990(Basolo , 1998b, but no experiment has directly tested whether this translates into greater reproductive success for such males (but see Ryan & Wagner 1987;Cummings & Mollaghan 2006 for indirect support). We tested the hypothesis that males that were preferred in association tests were also the males that obtained matings with these same females when allowed free access.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Surprisingly, given these criticisms, there are relatively few experiments that test whether or not the males that are preferred by females in such tests are also those that would obtain matings if the sexes were able to mix freely (but see Houde 1988;Kodric-Brown 1989;Clayton 1990;Aspbury & Basolo 2002;Cummings & Mollaghan 2006;Lehtonen & Lindström 2008). One of the reasons for this is the difficulty of allowing males to reproduce with females without reintroducing the effect of male-male competition (Houde 1988;Shackleton et al 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%