REDIRECTED AGGRESSION AND RECONCILIATION AMONG VERVET MONKEYS, CERCOPITHECUS AETHIOPS by

The data gathered by human observers studying the behavior of nonhuman primates often reveal a social structure of apparently striking complexity. Social groups are composed of a number of different families of different dominance ranks, each of which both competes and cooperates with other families in the group. It is often difficult for the observer to imagine that the monkeys could function or compete effectively without some understanding of the nature of kinship and dominance rank. At the same time, however, the apparent complexity of the animals' social structure may simply be an artifact resulting from our own ability to discern their matrilines and dominance hierarchies. The monkeys themselves may behave 'intelligently' while at the same time not recognizing the subtle discriminations that underlie their behavior. Numerous studies have now documented kin recognition in animals, in the sense that kin are treated differently from unrelated individuals (see reviews by HOLMES & SHERMAN, 1983; GOUZOULES & GOUZOULES, 1987; FLETCHER & MICHENER, 1987; WALDMAN Bt al., 1988). Furthermore, several studies of Old World monkeys have also suggested that nonhuman primates recognize the close associates of other individuals. In an earlier study of redirected aggression among vervet monkeys, for example, we found that animals were significantly more likely to threaten