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Selective interference in rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) intragroup agonistic episodes by age-sex class
Journal of Comparative Psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)
|December 1, 1986
Summary
Adult males interfere in conflicts, targeting other males, which may shape male aggression after puberty. Female interference is kin-based, supporting younger animals and less consistently targeting males.
Area of Science:
- Ethology
- Behavioral Ecology
- Sociobiology
Background:
- Agonistic interactions are crucial for social structure and dominance hierarchies in many species.
- Understanding interference patterns provides insights into the regulation of conflict and social dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the patterns and biases of interference by adult males and females in agonistic encounters.
- To determine how interference by adult males influences male agonistic participation and socialization.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of agonistic episodes within a social group.
- Analysis of interference patterns based on the age, sex, and kinship of participants and interceders.
Main Results:
- Adult male interference is biased against adolescent and adult males.
- Adult female interference favors kin and younger individuals against older ones.
- Natal males target sexually mature males independently of kinship; adolescent males target adult males only in defense of kin.
Conclusions:
- Adult male interference significantly impacts male agonistic behavior and socialization post-puberty.
- Female interference, driven by kinship, is less consistent in regulating male-male agonistic encounters.
- Adult males play a key role in shaping the expression of male agonistic behavior within the group.