Elsevier

Animal Behaviour

Volume 34, Issue 6, December 1986, Pages 1640-1658
Animal Behaviour

Vocal development in vervet monkeys

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472(86)80252-4Get rights and content

Abstract

Observations and playback experiments were used to study the development of grunts and alarm calls among free-ranging vervet monkeys. Results indicate that the production of vocalizations, their use in appropriate circumstances, and the response to the vocalizations of others emerge gradually during an individual's first 4 years. Particularly in the case of grunts, different acoustic components develop at different rates. Immatures respond appropriately to the calls of others before they produce appropriate vocalizations themselves. Finally, immature vocal development may be aided by cues received from adults. If an infant gives an alarm call to a genuine predator (as opposed to a non-predator), adults respond more strongly. When infants hear a playback of an alarm, they are more likely to respond appropriately if they first look at an adult.

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    *

    Present address: Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 U.S.A.

    Present address: Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, U.S.A.

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