Mother-infant separation in group-living rhesus macaques: A hormonal analysis

Adrenocortical responsiveness to separation in group‐living rhesus macaque mother‐infant pairs was determined. Cortisol evaluations were complemented by behavioral observations of mother‐infant interactions and group social behavior. Infants, but not their mothers, showed cortisol elevations that could be attributed specifically to separation. Steroid‐behavior relationships suggested that the infants of high dominant mothers evinced the greatest adrenocortical response to separation. These data exemplify the complexities involved in determining endocrine/behavior relationships in a group‐living situation.