Long-term effects of social rehabilitation in rhesus monkeys

Abstract

A group of 19 rhesus monkeys was assembled and observed in a large outdoor pen. Five experimental groups were present: 3-year-old mother-peer reared monkeys, surrogate-rehabilitated isolates, socially-rehabilitated isolates, surrogate-peers (who had served as "therapists" for the preceding group), and 1-year-old mother-peers. The major results indicated first, that the surrogate-rehabilitated isolates played socially significantly less than both mother-peer groups, and second, that the group as a whole seemed to display an abnormally low overall level of behavior. Possible interpretations and theoretical implications are discussed. © 1976 Japan Monkey Centre.