Role of Vision in Social Development in Monkeys

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Abstract
Stump-tailed macaques (8) were reared individually and either given all of their daily social experience in darkness (dark group) or given half their social experience in the dark and half in the light (controls). The dark group showed almost no aggressive behavior and less play than controls. Later, when all were tested in the light, the dark group were still less aggressive. Controls were less aggressive in the dark than in the light. There was no difference between the 2 groups in the form of the dominance hierarchy or the strength of preferences for social partners. Vision may be especially important in the maintenance of assertive behaviors and in the instigation and the direction of aggressive behaviors, but relatively less important in other areas of social development.

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