The effect of early social deprivation on rhesus monkeys: Social responsiveness

Abstract

Twelve rhesus infants were subjected to early total social deprivation in a free-ranging environmental situation for the periods of 6, 12, and 18 months. After the termination of treatment at the end of each period, a group of four subjects was tested for social responsiveness with six stimulus animals belonging to both the sexes and three age groups. Responses of the subjects were compared with similarly tested, naturally reared controls. Purpose of the experiment was to separate the effect of social deprivation from that of physical restrictions which had confounded the results of earlier experiments. It is concluded that the deficit in social responsiveness indicated by quantitative measures should be interpreted in the light of qualitative observations. Subjects were found deficit in “social communication” and “social manners” that interfered with social interactions. It is suggested that appropriate social experience enabling the subjects to learn social communication should benefit them as they possess primary social response tendencies to an appreciable degree.