Socioendocrinology of Behavior

荷尔蒙和行为之间的关系不再被视为荷尔蒙对行为的简单单向影响。相反，从对在复杂的物理和社会环境中观察到的动物的研究中得出的观点是，在产生行为互动的过程中，社会环境和荷尔蒙状况之间存在复杂的相互作用。目前的研究将进一步阐明Callitrichid灵长类动物(绒猴和罗望子)中的这些关系。弗兰奇博士此前曾证明，在调节荷尔蒙对行为的影响方面，配偶之间的社会关系极其重要。目前的研究将评估其他社会因素在调节荷尔蒙对行为影响方面的影响。具体地说，弗兰奇博士将评估罗望子鱼对不熟悉的入侵者的反应是否随着入侵或居住的雌性的生殖状况而有所不同，将评估被生殖抑制的从属雌性在脱离产生抑制的社会背景时是否能够表达生殖行为模式，并将评估视觉接触陌生配对对整个卵巢周期生殖行为模式的影响。这些研究在许多方面都很重要。首先，这项工作与濒危物种的繁殖有关。所有的绒猴和罗望鱼都被认为是受威胁或濒危的，对于一些物种(例如狮子罗望鱼)，圈养的个体比野生的更多。这些研究的直接结果很可能是对加强圈养这些物种的繁殖至关重要的信息。因此，这项研究可能会对维持热带动物的生物多样性产生深远的影响。其次，这些研究将展示复杂的社会环境如何影响(减少或放大)内部生理功能对行为的影响。作为一个整体，这些发现将有助于对荷尔蒙和行为有一个更复杂、更现实的看法。最后，这些研究将评估具有许多人类社会共同特征(例如，高度合作行为、共同抚养后代、年长后代在家庭或社会群体中居住)的社会制度的灵长类物种的激素-行为关系。

The relationship between hormones and behavior is no longer viewed as a simple unidirectional effect of hormones on behavior. Rather, the view emerging from studies on animals observed in complex physical and social situations is that there is a sophisticated interplay between social contexts and hormonal status in the production of behavioral interactions. The present studies will further illuminate these relationships in callitrichid primates (marmosets and tamarins). Dr. French has previously shown that social relationships within mated pairs are extremely important in regulating the influence of hormones on behavior. The current studies will evaluate the effects of other social factors in modulating hormones effects on behavior. Specifically, Dr. French will assess whether or not responses of tamarins to unfamiliar intruders differ as a function of the intruding or resident female's reproductive status, will assess whether or not reproductively suppressed subordinate females are capable of expressing patterns of reproductive behavior when removed from the social context that produces suppression, and will evaluate the influence of visual access to unfamiliar pairs on patterns of reproductive behavior across the ovarian cycle. These studies are important in a number of ways. First, the work is relevant to propagation of endangered species. All marmosets and tamarins are considered threatened or endangered, and for some species (e.g., lion tamarins) there are more individuals in captivity than in the wild. It is highly likely that information critical for the enhancement of the propagation of these species in captivity will be the direct result of these studies. Hence, this research may have a profound impact on the maintenance of the biodiversity of tropical animals. Second,these studies will show how complex social settings can influence (reduce or magnify) the effects of internal physiological functions on behavior. These findings as a whole will contribute to a more complex and realistic view of hormones and behavior. Finally, these studies will evaluate hormone-behavior relationships in species of primates that have a social system with many common features of human societies (e.g., high degree of cooperative behavior, joint rearing of offspring, residence of older offspring in family or social groups).