Social behavior of chimpanzees: dominance between mates, in relation to sexual status.

Abstract

Expressions of socio-sexual behavior were studied in an experimentally controlled food-getting situation among 21 pairs of chimpanzee mates. Two types of social control were found, the one based upon dominance, the other upon privilege. The [male] tended to be dominant much of the time but occasionally granted the [female] the privilege of taking the food. During genital swelling, the [female] generally dominates, occasionally granting privilege to the [male] to take the food. The most important conditions affecting changes in the social responses involve changes in the sexual responses. Other factors conditioning dominance and privilege are physical status, temperamental traits, natural dominance, resourcefulness in influencing the mate, adaptability and tendency to stereotypy. Inexperience in dealing with the opposite sex often tended toward submissive behavior.