Social behavior

Recent articles

Mouse father with pups.

Single gene sways caregiving circuits, behavior in male mice

Brain levels of the agouti gene determine whether African striped mice are doting fathers—or infanticidal ones.

By Natalia Mesa
18 February 2026 | 6 min read
Gloved hand reaches out to touch a mouse.

This paper changed my life: Ishmail Abdus-Saboor on balancing the study of pain and pleasure

A 2013 Nature paper from David Anderson’s lab revealed a group of sensory neurons involved in pleasurable touch and led Abdus-Saboor down a new research path.

By Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
13 February 2026 | 7 min read
Two heatmap-like mouse silhouettes overlaid with a grid of ones and zeroes.

How artificial agents can help us understand social recognition

Neuroscience is chasing the complexity of social behavior, yet we have not answered the simplest question in the chain: How does a brain know “who is who”? Emerging multi-agent artificial intelligence may help accelerate our understanding of this fundamental computation.

By Eunji Kong
16 January 2026 | 5 min read

Home makeover helps rats better express themselves: Q&A with Raven Hickson and Peter Kind

The “Habitat”—a complex environment with space for large social groups—expands the behavioral repertoire of rodent models, Hickson and Kind say.

By Holly Barker
4 December 2025 | 0 min watch
A drosophila connectome.

One year of FlyWire: How the resource is redefining Drosophila research

We asked nine neuroscientists how they are using FlyWire data in their labs, how the connectome has transformed the field and what new tools they would like to see in the future.

By Francisco J. Rivera Rosario
7 October 2025 | 17 min read
Photograph of a real bird looking at a model bird.

Robots marry natural neuroscience, experimental control to probe animal interactions

Faux fish and birds are helping researchers decipher some of the rules that govern schooling and squawking, among other social behaviors.

By Calli McMurray
19 September 2025 | 7 min read
Mother mouse with pups.

Oxytocin shapes both mouse mom and pup behavior

Distressed pups emit distinct cries for help, which depend on oxytocin neurons in their hypothalamus.

By Claudia López Lloreda
11 September 2025 | 5 min read

Hitting city streets to record rat behaviors: Q&A with Emily Mackevicius, Ralph Peterson

Capturing the rodents’ vocalizations and movements in the wild offers an opportunity to study naturalistic behaviors in a complex urban environment, Mackevicius and Peterson say.

By Marta Hill
19 August 2025 | 0 min watch
Peggy Mason at her desk.

Up and out with Peggy Mason

Mason helped define the rodent prosocial behavior field, but now she’s changing course.

By Sydney Wyatt
15 August 2025 | 12 min read
Two prairie voles.

Oxytocin prompts prairie voles to oust outsiders, fortifying their friendships

The “love hormone” drives the neurobiology behind platonic bonds in animals usually studied for their romantic attachments.

By Holly Barker
8 August 2025 | 7 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Portrait of Raphe Bernier in front of a collage of a building, a chalkboard, a computer and human silhouettes.

Frameshift: Raphe Bernier followed his heart out of academia, then made his way back again

After a clinical research career, an interlude at Apple and four months in early retirement, Raphe Bernier found joy in teaching.

By Katie Moisse
20 February 2026 | 8 min read
Research image showing gene association.

Organoid study reveals shared brain pathways across autism-linked variants

The genetic variants initially affect brain development in unique ways, but over time they converge on common molecular pathways.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
19 February 2026 | 4 min read
Research image showing more glucose in the bird retina than the bird brain.

Inner retina of birds powers sight sans oxygen

The energy-intensive neural tissue relies instead on anaerobic glucose metabolism provided by the pecten oculi, a structure unique to the avian eye.

By Federica Sgorbissa
18 February 2026 | 4 min read

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