Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Study of Nonhuman Primate
Social Behavior
Lawrence E. Williams
*
and Irwin S. Bernstein
y
*
Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, Department of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer
Center, Bastrop, TX,
y
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Chapter Outline
Introduction
131
Methodologies used to Study Behavior
139
Levels of Behavioral Analysis
132
Observation of Cause and Effect
139
Definition of Nonhuman Primate Societies
133
Anecdotal Evidence
139
Social Structure vs. Social Organization
133
Hypothesis Testing
139
Evolution of Sociality
134
Behavioral Data Collection
141
Criteria for a Social Group
134
zero Sampling 141
Instantaneous Scans 142
Ad Libitum and All-Occurrence Scans 142
Focal Animal Sampling 142
Sequential Analysis 142
Behavior Research to Colony Management 143
Aggressive Behavior in the Context of Primate Housing 143
Study Design for Aggressive Behavior 143
Ethogram Development 143
Control Group Importance for Comparing Results 144
Aggressive Behavior in a Colony Management Context 144
Pair Formation
One
e
Ecological Pressures on Nonhuman Primate Social
Structures 135
General Statement on Nonhuman Primate Social Structures 135
Solitary Primates
135
Monogamous Primates
136
Single-Male/Multi-Female Groups
136
Multi-Male/Multi-Female Groups
136
Fission
e
fusion Communities
136
Typical Laboratory Species
137
Callitrichidae
137
Saimiri
and
Cebus
137
144
Macaca
138
Large Group Aggressive Behavior
145
Papio
138
Conclusions
145
Pan
138
References
145
INTRODUCTION
In the order Primates, there is tremendous variety in group
structures and patterns of interaction between individuals,
and thus the task of describing nonhuman primate social
behavior is challenging. Primate species' interaction
patterns range from near-solitary species to societies with
multilayered organizations. This behavioral flexibility has
permitted the order Primates to expand and occupy
multiple ecological niches. Within each of these niches, the
specific composition of the social organization of a given
species may vary greatly.
Presenting specific data on every species is beyond the
scope of
behavioral concepts as they relate to nonhuman primates.
Chapter 6 discusses concepts and techniques involved in
providing captive nonhuman primates with an enriching
environment that promotes species typical behavior. In this
chapter, we discuss research methodology and experi-
mental design concepts related to behavioral analysis and
the potential contribution of behavioral science to captive
nonhuman primate housing and breeding. The first section
in this chapter provides background on the nature of
nonhuman primates' social behavior and how it can be
described. In the section on research design, we review
experimental methodology from a behavioral perspective,
including a discussion of two common pitfalls in behavioral
this chapter;
instead, we present general
