The development of affiliative and agonistic social patterns in differentially reared monkeys

Abstract

Bonnet macaques that had been reared from 3 to 6 months of age in experimental environments that appeared to adversely affect their ability to separate from mother to explore a novel physical environment in dyadic assessments shortly after the rearing experience were tested during late adolescence, an average of 2.5 years later, under conditions of increasing unfamiliarity and complexity of the social milieu. 6 monkeys, the low-foraging-demand (LFD) group, were reared by mothers having constant easy access to food during the experimental rearing period. Another 6 monkeys, the variable-foraging-demand (VFD) group, were reared by mothers having a foraging task that varied between easy and difficult in 2-week blocks during the experimental rearing period. Although no treatment group differences were evident during the initial rearing period, during subsequent social challenges VFD monkeys exhibited a diminished capacity for affiliative social engagement relative to LFD monkeys and were socially subordinate to LFD monkeys.