Publications [#45465] of Meredith L Bastian

Journal Articles

1. Bastian, ML, Sponberg, AC, Suomi, SJ, Higley, JD, Long-term effects of infant rearing on the acquisition of dominance rank in juvenile and adult rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)., Developmental Psychobiology, vol. 42 no. 2 (2003), pp. 44-51
   (last updated on 2007/02/19)

   Abstract:
   We examined the effects of early rearing experience on the development of dominance status in 53 juvenile (age 3) and then in 38 adult (ages 5-8) rhesus macaques. Based on previous research investigating the behavioral outcomes of nursery-rearing, we predicted that mother- reared (MR) monkeys would outrank peer-only reared 9PR) monkeys, which would in turn outrank surrogate/ peer-reared (SPR) subjects. Juvenile MR and PR subjects did not differ in ranks, but monkeys from both rearing backgrounds outranked SPR cage-mates at age 3. Independent of rearing condition, high-ranking juveniles gained the most weight between ages 1-3, suggesting that low status may be associated with decreases in early weight gain. Adult MR subjects outranked both PR and SPR subjects, with PR animals occupying intermediate ranks. These results indicated that impoverished early experiences, such as adult absence and limited social interaction, are useful predictors of future success in rhesus macaques.