RESPONSES OF INFANT TITI MONKEYS, CALLICEBUS MOLOCH, TO REMOVAL OF ONE OR BOTH PARENTS - EVIDENCE FOR PATERNAL ATTACHMENT

The response to parental separation in infant titi monkeys was evaluat ed. Separation from the mother for 1 hr did not elicit an adrenocortic al response from the infant unless the father was also removed. Separa tion from the father elicited a significant elevation in adrenocortica l activity even when the mother remained with the infant during the se paration period. Infants showed the highest cortisol levels and vocali zation rates when both parents were removed and the infant remained al one in the living cage for I hr. As in previous research, infants main tained higher levels of contact with the father than with the mother. The results indicate that in this monogamous New World primate, the fa ther is the primary attachment figure for the developing infant. (C) 1 995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.