The modification of social dominance in a group of monkeys by interanimal conditioning.

Abstract

The social dominance hierarchy of a group of ten rhesus monkeys was determined on six occasions during a 20-month period. The monkey ranking eighth in dominance status in the group was selected to serve as a conditioned stimulus for pain-avoidance for other members of the group. After the other animals in the group were conditioned to fear and to avoid the stimulus animal, dominance determinations were again made. It was found that the social dominance status of the stimulus monkey increased significantly following the conditionings.