Social Dominance and Sexual Status in the Chimpanzee

Abstract

In a simple food-response expt., the dominance-subordination relation of 22 pairs of adult and adolescent chimpanzees, was tested to discover the significance of sexual status. The importance of sexual condition was established. Dominance-subordination is not a constant relation. It fluctuates or even changes in sign with the sexual status of the [female] and with such events of daily life as disagreements, contests, or quarrels over food, shelter, possessions, social privilege. The [male] if dominant grants privilege to, or is dominated by, the [female] when she is in oestrus, whereas if subordinate to her he may achieve privilege to the extent of priority of response when she is sexually receptive. Dominance-subordination, as traits of behavior, may turn out to be of far-reaching theoretical and practical significance for social sciences, education, and medicine. The issue rests with discovery of the relation of these traits to sexual processes, leadership, the spirit of inquiry, and constructivity, because any readily measurable trait which is highly correlated positively with one of these behavior elements should have great diagnostic value.