Pair Bonds

Abstract

Pair bonds are long‐term social relationships between opposite‐sex individuals that are characterized by mutual preferences for pair mates over others as measured by proximity, physical contact, and a variety of species‐specific behaviors. Pair bonds occur in species exhibiting a variety of grouping patterns and may or may not involve sexual exclusivity. Hormones, including oxytocin and vasopressin, have been shown to be correlated with pair‐bonding behavior and strong pair bonds appear to provide a buffering effect against physiological responses to stress, resulting in improved health. Pair bonds can influence reproductive success for both males and females and have been suggested to play a critical role in human evolution.