Social play among juvenile wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) strengthens their social bonds. Issue 1 (30th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shimada, Masaki; Sueur, Cédric
• Other Names: Gillespie Thomas R. guestEditor.; Lonsdorf Elizabeth V. guestEditor.; Travis Dominic A. guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: American journal of primatology. Volume 80:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-11-30
• Subjects: development -- Kinkazan -- social bond -- social network -- social play; Primates -- Periodicals; Primates -- Périodiques; 599.8
• DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22728
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0275-2565

Abstract

Abstract : Social play and grooming are typical affiliative interactions for many primate species, and are thought to have similar biological functions. However, grooming increases with age, whereas social play decreases. We proposed the hypothesis that both social grooming and social play in juveniles strengthen their social bonds in daily activities. We carried out field research on the social relationships among juvenile wild Japanese macaques in a troop in Kinkazan, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, from fall 2007 to spring 2008 to investigate this hypothesis. We evaluated three relationships among juveniles, play indices ( PI ), grooming indices ( GI ), and 3‐m‐proximity indices (3 mI ) of each dyad (i.e., interacting pair), and compared these social networks based on the matrices of the indices. The play and grooming networks were correlated with the association network throughout the two research periods. The multiple network level measurements of the play network, but not the grooming network, resembled those of the association network. Using a causal step approach, we showed that social play and grooming interactions in fall seem to predict associations in the following spring, controlling for the PI and GI matrix in spring, respectively. Social play and grooming for each juvenile were negatively correlated. The results partially support our predictions; therefore, the hypothesis that the biological function of social play among immature Japanese macaques is to strengthen their social bonds in the near future and develop their social life appears to be correct. For juvenile macaques, social play, rather than grooming, functions as an important social mechanism to strengthen affiliative relationships. Abstract : The hypothesis that both social grooming and social play in juvenile wild Japanese macaques strengthen their social bonds in daily activities was tested. Social play, rather than social grooming, is an important social mechanism to strengthen affiliative relationships among juvenile Japanese macaques.