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Complementarity and symmetry in social relationships of nonhuman primates

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Abstract

The paper examinesBateson’s idea that social relationships can be described according to the degree that behavior is symmetric (mutual) or complementary (non-mutual). It was suggested that in primates complementary relationships are most typical and stable.Bateson’s definitions were quantified and applied to observations of paired rhesus females, showing that familiar dyads had complementary relationships, probably reflecting social status, while unfamiliar dyads had symmetric relationships.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry C-268, University of Colorado Medical Center, 4200 East 9th Avenue, 80262, Denver, Colorado, USA

    Ted D. Wade

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  1. Ted D. Wade
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Additional information

Phases of this project were supported by U. S. P. H. S. grants, MH-17052 (toE. W. Hansen) and MH-00322 (Postdoctoral Fellowship).

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Wade, T.D. Complementarity and symmetry in social relationships of nonhuman primates. Primates 18, 835–847 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02382934

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02382934

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