Abstrakta z konference ČSEtS 2006

Psychology and behaviour of the reaction to isolation and social recovery in infant monkeys  

Erika Csoltová
SAV ÚEPs,Dubravská cesta 9,81364 Bratislava

Focus of the study was on psychology and behaviour of infant primates – how isolation affects normal ontogeny and social behaviour of monkeys in South Africa. Two experiments designed to rehabilitate monkeys are described. Therapeutic conditions used social agents as a mean for rehabilitation and social recovary by isolation reared monkeys. In the first experiment three male infant primates: Brown Hooded Capuchins Monkey (Cebus Apella), Vervet Monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops) and Common Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri Sciureus) were housed in a quad experimental cage. This experiment designed to rehabilitate isolates produced some psychopathological behaviour patterns and resulted in increased aggression. Monkeys had to be removed from the common playroom chamber. In the second experiment the infants were individualy placed to surrogates – their own monkey species. In contrast to the above results infants exhibited recovery of social responses. The exmeriments made it obvious that monkeys socially damaged by isolation early in life may attain very limited recovery of behavioural functions if they are allowed to interact for limited period of time with a group of equally socially blighted infant monkeys. This monkeys did not provide social contact acceptability to each other and for further social stimulation the isolates had only each other. This show that one important aspect of attachment is that it is how an individual learns basic trust in relationship. The present data suggest that therapist monkeys must be selected in such a manner as to present no threat to isolated infant monkeys and that the socialization is probably achieved in large part, but not entirely, through imitative learning as the infant monkeys enter and pass through subsequent socialization stages. The present research has indicated that social rehabilitation of isolate – reared monkeys can be attained. It is postulated that social stimulation both permits subjects to achieve contact acceptability and provides an interactive medium conducive to gradual development of sophisticated social behaviours will result in almost complete recovery of social capabilities previously obliterated by rearing in ilolation.

Klíčová slova: infant primates, isolation, social behaviour, social recovery