As psychology and science see it, mating is the entire repertoire of behaviors that animals—including humans—engage in the pursuit of finding a partner for intimacy or reproduction Mating behavior in animals includes the signaling of intent to mate, the attraction of mates, courtship, copulation, postcopulatory behaviors that protect a male’s paternity, and parental behavior. Given that reproduction is at the heart of natural selection, decisions about mating are of central adaptive significance. There are many ideas about human mating systems, varying from culture to culture While some cultures hold the ideal that monogamy is the best mating system for humans, others strictly believe in polygyny, while others yet practice polyandry or promiscuity within their culture. Human mating is a fundamental aspect of human existence, encompassing how individuals seek, attract, and form partnerships
Idiom mate for life (definition of mating from the cambridge advanced learner's dictionary & thesaurus © cambridge university press)
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