Neonatal face-to-face interactions promote later social behaviour in infant rhesus monkeys

Amanda M. Dettmer (), Stefano S. K. Kaburu, Elizabeth A. Simpson, Annika Paukner, Valentina Sclafani, Kristen L. Byers, Ashley M. Murphy, Michelle Miller, Neal Marquez, Grace M. Miller, Stephen J. Suomi and Pier F. Ferrari
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Amanda M. Dettmer: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Stefano S. K. Kaburu: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Elizabeth A. Simpson: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Annika Paukner: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Valentina Sclafani: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Kristen L. Byers: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Ashley M. Murphy: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Michelle Miller: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Neal Marquez: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Grace M. Miller: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Stephen J. Suomi: Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Pier F. Ferrari: University of Parma

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract In primates, including humans, mothers engage in face-to-face interactions with their infants, with frequencies varying both within and across species. However, the impact of this variation in face-to-face interactions on infant social development is unclear. Here we report that infant monkeys (Macaca mulatta) who engaged in more neonatal face-to-face interactions with mothers have increased social interactions at 2 and 5 months. In a controlled experiment, we show that this effect is not due to physical contact alone: monkeys randomly assigned to receive additional neonatal face-to-face interactions (mutual gaze and intermittent lip-smacking) with human caregivers display increased social interest at 2 months, compared with monkeys who received only additional handling. These studies suggest that face-to-face interactions from birth promote young primate social interest and competency.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11940

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