Determinants of Motherhood in Human and Nonhuman Primates

The influence of repeated motherhood on periparturitional behavior in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis)

“…Though age is probably a relevant factor, this variable, like experiences with pregnancy and parturition, has been studied minimally in monkeys (Pryce, 1995). Meier (1965) remarked that it is not clear whether experience or maturation is the more important factor with respect to the development of adequate maternal behavior in rhesus monkeys.…”

The influence of rearing conditions on maternal behavior in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis)

“…However, this ability would have to be generalized to handling neonates. Pryce (1995) notes that play-mothering and mothering differ in that a juvenile female responds to the complex mother+infant, whereas the primiparous mother must respond to her infant. Moreover, this generalization has to occur in external and internal circumstances that strongly deviate from the situation in which practice took place (Kemps and Timmermans, 1984) and at a moment inescapably dictated by parturition.…”

Associations between glucocorticoids and sociality across a continuum of vertebrate social behavior

“…For example, male California mice ( Peromyscus californicus ) showed more paternal behavior after mild separation stress whereas chronic variable stress impaired their care behavior (Harris et al., 2013). Similarly, in primates, moderate GCs during gestation and after parturition are positively correlated with maternal behavior across mothers (Fleming, Corter, & Steiner, 1995; Fleming et al., 1997; Stallings, Fleming, Corter, Worthman, & Steiner, 2001; Bardi, French, Ramirez, & Brent, 2004; see also Storey et al., 2000). Moreover, just as GCs are known to increase self‐feeding behavior (Rowland & Antelman, 1976), they also increase feeding of young (Astheimer, Buttemer, & Wingfield, 1992; Silverin,1986).…”