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Sex differences, environmental complexity, and mother-infant relations

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Abstract

Differential handling of male and female infants by their mothers and differential behavior of male and female infants independent of maternal behavior is a critical research issue with significant implications for understanding human development. This report describes mother-infant interaction in the squirrel monkey as a function of the infant's sex in a variety of laboratory environments. In a complex social environment, males move away from their mothers at a younger age than do females. The mothers then attempt to keep the males physically close. This maternal effort at continuing mother-son closeness is not successful, indicating greater infant-activated autonomy in the male.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA

    Leonard A. Rosenblum Ph.D. (Professor of Psychiatry)

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  1. Leonard A. Rosenblum Ph.D.
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Additional information

This research was supported by Grant No. MH-15965 from the National Institute of Mental Health.

This research was conducted while Dr. Rosenblum was the recipient of Research scientist Development Award No. K5, MH-23685.

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Rosenblum, L.A. Sex differences, environmental complexity, and mother-infant relations. Arch Sex Behav 3, 117–128 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01540995

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01540995

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