Manipulatory Behavior in Monkeys Reared under Different Levels of Early Stimulus Variation

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Abstract
Preference for proprioceptive stimulation was tested in monkeys reared in (a) the jungle, (b) a wire cage, and (c) an enclosed metal cage. The first group had the greatest level of stimulus input early in life, the last group had the lowest level. The frequency and duration of contact during 12-hr. trials, with a chain, a movable T-bar, and a nonmovable bar were measured. Ss were at least 3 yr. old when tested. Animals raised in the jungle had the highest frequency and duration of contact with all three stimuli. However, as the proprioceptive complexity inherent in the stimulus decreased, manipulation decreased for jungle-reared animals but increased for laboratory-reared monkeys. It was concluded that early deprivation of tactual-proprioceptive stimulation produces an animal who prefers manipulatory stimuli of low proprioceptive complexity later in life. This interpretation was based on a stimulus complexity preference hypothesis that was used to explain the failure of many laboratory-born monkeys to learn simple manipulatory responses in instrumental learning situations.

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