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Sexual selection and animal personality
Article first published online: 18 NOV 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185X.2009.00101.x
© 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Cambridge Philosophical Society
Additional Information
How to Cite
Schuett, W., Tregenza, T. and Dall, S. R. X. (2010), Sexual selection and animal personality. Biological Reviews, 85: 217–246. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-185X.2009.00101.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 12 APR 2010
- Article first published online: 18 NOV 2009
- (Received 28 October 2008; accepted 19 August 2009)
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- sexual selection;
- behavioural syndrome;
- sex differences;
- individual differences;
- consistency;
- repeatability;
- behavioural synchronization;
- mate choice;
- competition
Consistent individual behavioural tendencies, termed “personalities”, have been identified in a wide range of animals. Functional explanations for personality have been proposed, but as yet, very little consideration has been given to a possible role for sexual selection in maintaining differences in personality and its stability within individuals. We provide an overview of the available literature on the role of personality traits in intrasexual competition and mate choice in both human and non-human animals and integrate this into a framework for considering how sexual selection can generate and maintain personality. For this, we consider the evolution and maintenance of both main aspects of animal personality: inter-individual variation and intra-individual consistency.