Abstract
Interactions between adult males and infants may have important consequences not only for males and infants, but also for mothers. Considerable attention has been paid to interactions that involve two males and an infant. Investigators have proposed three different general strategies to account for this behavior: (a) exploitation of the infant for one male’s advantage, (b) protection of the infant from harassment and aggression, and (c) development of relationships with the infant’s mother. We review various accounts of these interactions, detail the hypotheses used to explain the behavior, make predictions derived from the hypotheses, and evaluate available data for testing the predictions. We conclude that multiple factors are probably at work, but the development of social relations between a male and an infant’s mother is a central force.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Altmann, J. (1980).Baboon Mothers and Infants, Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
Anderson, C. M. (1983). Levels of social organization and male-female bonding in the genusPapio.Am. J. phys. Anthrop. 60: 15–22.
Berenstain, L., and Wade, T. D. (1983). Intrasexual selection and male mating strategies in baboons and macaques.Int. J. Primatol. 4: 201–235.
Box, H. O. (1975). A social developmental study of young monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) within a captive family group.Primates 16: 419–435.
Busse, C. D. (1984). Triadic interactions among male and infant chacma baboons. In Taub, D. M. (ed.),Primate Paternalism, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp. 186–212.
Busse, C. D., and Hamilton, W. J., III (1981). Infant carrying by male chacma baboons.Science 212: 1282–1283.
Collins, D. A. (1986). Interactions between adult male and infant yellow baboons (Papio anubdbis cynocephalus) in Tanzania.Anim. Behav. 34: 430–443.
Collins, D. A., Busse, C. D., and Goodall, J. (1984). Infanticide in two populations of savanna baboons. In Hausfater, G., and Hrdy, S. B. (eds.),Infanticide: Comparative and Evolutionary Perspectives, Aldine, New York, pp. 193–205.
Deag, J. M., and Crook, J. H. (1971). Social behaviour and “agonistic buffering” in the wildBarbary macaque Macaca sylvana L..Folia primatol. 15: 183–200.
Dixson, A. F., and Fleming, D. (1981). Parental behavior and infant development in owl monkeys (Aotus trivirgatus grisiemembra).J. Zool. (London) 194: 25–39.
Epple, G. (1975). The behavior of marmoset monkeys (Callithricidae). In Rosenblum, L. A. (ed.),Primate Behavior: Developments in Field and Laboratory Research, Vol. 4, Academic Press, New York, pp. 195–239.
Hausfater, G. (1975). Dominance and reproduction in baboons (Papio cynocephalus).Contrib. Primatol. 7: 1–150.
Hausfater, G., and Hrdy, S. B. (eds.), (1984).Infanticide: Comparative and Evolutionary Perspectives, Aldine, New York.
Hoage, R. J. (1978). Parental care inLeontopithecus rosalia rosalia. In Kleiman, D. (ed.),The Biology and Conservation of the Callitrichidae, jSmithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C., pp. 293–306.
Hrdy, S. B. (1974). Male-male competition and infanticide among langurs (Presbytis entellus) of Abu, Rajastan.Folia primatol. 22: 19–58.
Hrdy, S. B. (1976). Care and exploitation of non-human primate infants by conspecifics other than the mother. In Rosenblatt, J. S., Hinde, R. A., Shaw, E., and Beer, C. (eds.),Advances in the Study of Behavior, Vol. 6, Academic Press, New York, pp. 101–158.
Hrdy, S. B. (1979). Infanticide among animals: A review, classification and examination of the reproductive strategies of females.Ethol. Sociobiol. 1: 13–40.
Ingram, J. C. (1978). Parent-infant interaction in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). In Kleiman, D. (ed.),The Biology and Conservation of the Callithrichidae, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C., pp. 281–292.
Kleiman, D. G., and Malcolm, J. R. (1981). The evolution of male parental investment in mammals. In Gubernick, D. J., Gubernick, P. H., and Klopfer, P. H. (eds.),Parental Care in Mammals, Plenum, New York, pp. 347–387.
Klein, H. (1983).Parental Care and Kin Selection in Yellow Baboons, Papio cynocephalus, Ph.D. dissertation, University of Washington, Seattle.
Kummer, H. (1967). Tripartite relations in hamadryas baboons. In Altmann, S. A. (ed.),Social Communication Among Primates, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 63–71.
Mitchell, G. D. (1969). Paternalistic behavior in primates.Psychol. Bull. 71: 399–417.
Mitchell, G. D. (1977). Parental behavior in primates. In Money, J., and Musaph, H. (eds.),Handbook of Sexology, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 749–759.
Packer, C. (1979). Inter-troop transfer and inbreeding avoidance inPapio anubis.Anim. Behav. 27: 1–36.
Packer, C. (1980). Male care and exploitation of infants inPapio anubis.Anim. Behav. 28: 521–527.
Packer, C., and Pusey, A. (1985). Asymmetric contests in social mammals: Respect, manipulation and age-specific aspects. In Greenwood, P. J., Harvey, P. H., and Slatkin, M. (eds.),Evolution: Essays in the Honour of John Maynard Smith, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 173–186.
Popp, J. L. (1978).Male Baboons and Evolutionary Principles, Ph.D. dissertation, Harvard University, Cambridge.
Ransom, T. W., and Ransom, B. S. (1971). Adult male-infant relations among baboons (Papio anubis).Folia primatol. 16: 179–195.
Redican, W. K. (1976). Adult male-infant interactions in nonhuman primates. In Lamb, M. E. (ed.),The Role of the Father in Child Development, John Wiley and Sons, New York, pp. 345–385.
Redican, W. K., and Taub, D. M. (1981). Adult male-infant interactions in nonhuman primates. In Lamb, M. E. (ed.),The Role of the Father in Child Development, 2nd ed., John Wiley and Sons, New York, pp. 203–258.
Smuts, B. B. (1985).Sex and Friendship in Baboons, Aldine, New York.
Spencer-Booth, Y. (1970). The relationship between mammalian young and conspecifics other than mother and peers: A review. In Lehrman, D. S., Hinde, R. A., and Shaw, E. (eds.),Advances in the Study of Behavior, Vol. 3, Academic Press, New York, pp. 119–194.
Stein, D. M. (1981).The Nature and Function of Social Interactions Between Infant and Adult Male Yellow Baboons (Papio cynocephalus). Ph.D. dissertation, University of Chicago, Chicago.
Stein, D. M. (1984a).The Sociobiology of Infant and Adult Male Baboons, Ablex, Norwood, N.J.
Stein, D. M. (1984b). Ontogeny of infant-adult male relationships during the first year of life for yellow baboons (Papio cynocephalus). In Taub, D. M. (ed.),Primate Paternalism, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp. 213–243.
Stoltz, L. P., and Saayman, G. S. (1970). Ecology and behaviour of baboons in the northern Transvaal.Ann. Transvaal Museum 26: 99–159.
Strum, S. C. (1984). Why males use infants. In Taub, D. M. (ed.)Primate Paternalism, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp. 146–185.
Strum, S. C. (1987).Almost Human; A Journey into the World of Baboons, Random House, New York.
Taub, D. M. (ed.) (1984).Primate Paternalism, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.
Trivers, R. L. (1972). Paternal investment and sexual selection. In Campbell, B. G. (ed.),Sexual Selection and the Descent of Man, Aldine, Chicago, pp. 136–179.
Vogt, J. L., Carlson, H., and Menzel, E. (1978). Social behavior of a marmoset (Saguinusfuscicollis) group. I: Parental care and infant development.Primates 19: 715–726.
Whitten, P. L. (1987). Infants and adult males. In Smuts, B. B., Cheney, D. L., Seyfarth, R. M., Wrangham, R. W., and Struhsaker, T. T. (eds.),Primate Societies, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 343–357.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Smith, E.O., Whitten, P.L. Triadic interactions in Savanna-dwelling baboons. Int J Primatol 9, 409–424 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02736217
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02736217