Some factors affecting mother-infant relations in rhesus monkeys.

The effects of six independent variables on rhesus mother-infant relations are examined by comparing sub-groups of mother-infant pairs differing in only one of the variables. Variables compared and discussed include mother's parity, previous experience and social status, sex of the infant and the presence of peers. All variables except maternal parity appeared to affect the relationship, but none produced effects that were wholly consistent over all comparisons. Further tentative analyses were made of some age effects and interactions between variables which may have accounted for the inconsistencies.