Mothers in a wild group of moor macaques (Macaca maurus) are more attractive to other group members when holding their infants.
Social interactions between mothers that were holding their infants and other group members were studied in a wild group of moor macaques (Macaca maurus). Affiliative approaches to infants (AAI) by group members that were accompanied with particular behaviours, such as mouthing and touching or affiliative grunts, were observed frequently. Females approached mothers with infants more frequently than did males in all age classes. Female reproductive status, parity and dominance relationships between interactants had little effect on the frequency of approaches. Mothers received more grooming and performed less grooming when they were holding their infants than when they were not. A high level of social tolerance in macaque species with relaxed dominance styles might allow the free expression of AAI. Dominance styles among females and AAI could be linked via a positive feedback relationship since AAI might play a role in relaxing the dominance style among females.
Matsumura
S
S
Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Aichi, Japan.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006120:Grooming; D008251:Macaca / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009769:Object Attachment; D012098:Reproduction; D012919:Social Behavior; D014110:Touch; D014828:Vocalization, Animal