Face-to-face interactions between mothers and female infants in wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus).

Abstract

Once considered uniquely human, mother-infant face-to-face interactions (FF) were observed in a few captive primates. In these studies, FF were correlated to physical contact suggesting a mechanism mediating proximity between mother and infant, as is the case for humans. We investigated this hypothesis in wild capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) during the first year of life of eight female infants. Data were weekly focal-day videos of infants from which we recorded FF with mothers. We expected FF would increase with infants' age (as time in contact with mothers decreased) and would more likely occur in the absence of physical contact between the dyad. There was no effect of age in the proportion of interaction time spent in FF, nor in types of FF. A quarter of FF episodes occurred in the absence of physical contact between the dyad, and in most of them physical contact was resumed following the FF. Contrary to predictions, the stability in the first year, mainly when mothers-female infants were in contact, indicates that FF act primarily promoting opportunities for affective communication and intuitive care. However, we found some supportive evidence for the hypothesis that FF regulate proximity between mother and infant, mainly in resume physical contact.