A physiological profile approach to animal temperament: How to understand the functional significance of individual differences in behaviour

Elyse K. McMahon, Elizabeth Youatt, Sonia A. Cavigelli

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Animal behaviour research has experienced a renewed interest in consistent individual differences (i.e. animal personality or temperament). Recent ecological studies have identified environmental conditions that give rise to the development and evolution of temperaments and to fitness-related outcomes of temperament. Additional literature has also described relationships between temperaments and physiological regulation. However, one-Toone relationships between one behavioural trait and one physiological system do not account for co-selection of behavioural and physiological traits, nor the complex signalling among physiological systems. In the current paper, we review the literature on multiple physiological processes associated with temperament, propose temperament-specific physiological profiles, and focus on next steps to understand the functional significance, evolution and maintenance of temperaments. We propose that to understand causes and consequences of temperament we need to characterize integrative physiological profiles associated with different temperaments.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number20212379
JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Volume289
Issue number1966
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Immunology and Microbiology
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Environmental Science
  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

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