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Affiliative vocalizations in infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)
N H Kalin1, S E Shelton, C T Snowdon
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53792.
Journal of Comparative Psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)
|September 1, 1992
Summary
Infant rhesus monkeys display distinct vocalizations during social separation. Their cooing and girning behaviors vary based on the presence of mothers or males, indicating complex social communication in young primates.
Area of Science:
- Primate behavior
- Animal communication
- Developmental psychology
Background:
- Social separation is a significant stressor for infant primates.
- Understanding infant vocalizations is crucial for assessing their emotional state and social needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the vocal responses of infant rhesus monkeys to social separation and reunion.
- To differentiate the effects of maternal presence versus male presence on infant vocalizations.
Main Methods:
- Infant rhesus monkeys were subjected to separation and reunion paradigms with mothers or males.
- Vocalizations (girns, coos, shrieks, barks) and fear-related behaviors were recorded and analyzed.
- Experiment 2 examined vocalizations during separation with mothers or males in the same room.
Main Results:
- Infants exhibited more girns with mothers or males than when alone; girns decreased over time with males.
- Cooing rates were higher when alone or with males, but increased more significantly with mothers present.
- Shrieks, barks, and fear behaviors were elevated in the presence of a male.
Conclusions:
- Infant rhesus monkey vocalizations, including coos and girns, are differentially modulated by social context.
- While both coos and girns are affiliative, their expression is influenced by the specific social partner and the availability of contact comfort.