Male-male social interactions in vervet monkeys : targets and tactics

Abstract

This thesis offers an alternative to the conventional ‘social intelligence’ hypothesis: that the complexity of primate group emerges from dynamic, short term variation in partner availability and quality and that primate social cognition is geared to producing flexible responses to unpredictable contingencies. Using the theoretical framework that views cognition as being both ‘embodied’ and ‘embedded’ in the environment, agonistic interactions were examined with the aim to better explain complex signalling behaviour in male vervet monkeys. Firstly, agonistic interactions with and without physical aggression were examined to assess the targets of male vervets during combat. The tactics employed by the partner, such as adjusting posture and relative orientation to partner, were also investigated. This thesis also examines the influence of proximity on male behavior during agonistic interactions and interactions containing threats. Lastly, threat displays were investigated further in order to test for evidence of them occurring in a ritualized manner.