Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Allomaternal vocal behavior in squirrel monkeys.

M Biben1

  • 1Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland.

Developmental Psychobiology
|March 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary

In squirrel monkeys, allomothers, not mothers, provide most early vocalizations to infants. This caregiver vocalization helps infants engage in social exchanges from birth.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Maternal recognition of individual infant squirrel monkeys from isolation call playbacks.

American journal of primatology·2020
Same author

Stillbirth of twins in a squirrel monkey (Saimiri boliviensis peruviensis).

Journal of medical primatology·1993
Same author

Contour variables in vocal communication between squirrel monkey mothers and infants.

Developmental psychobiology·1989
Same author

Play vocalizations of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus).

Folia primatologica; international journal of primatology·1986

Area of Science:

  • Primate behavior
  • Animal communication
  • Developmental psychology

Background:

  • Infant care in primates is complex, involving mothers and other group members.
  • Vocal communication plays a crucial role in social interactions and development.
  • Squirrel monkey infants are carried dorsally by their mothers for an extended period after birth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the patterns of vocalizations directed at infant squirrel monkeys during the first 12 weeks of life.
  • To determine the roles of mothers versus allomothers in early vocal interactions.
  • To understand the developmental trajectory of infant responsiveness to vocalizations.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study of three groups of squirrel monkeys (N=7 infants, 12 adult females).
  • Weekly observations for the first 12 weeks postpartum.
  • Quantification of infant-directed vocalizations by mothers and allomothers.
  • Analysis of infant vocal responses.

Main Results:

  • Infants received ~100 vocalizations/hour, primarily "caregiver" calls, from mothers and allomothers.
  • Allomothers vocalized significantly more to young infants than mothers did.
  • Infants responded vocally to allomaternal calls from Day 1 but were less responsive to mothers.
  • Maternal vocalizations increased five-fold when infants began to leave their backs.

Conclusions:

  • Allomothers are the primary providers of early caregiver vocalizations in squirrel monkeys.
  • Early allomaternal vocalizations facilitate infant social engagement.
  • Maternal vocalization patterns shift as infants gain independence, with increased use of retrieval calls.

Related Experiment Videos