Abnormal behavior in relation to cage size in rhesus monkeys.

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) either of wild origin or mother-reared in the laboratory were housed along in small caged from birth to 6? yrs. Observations were made on 24 Ss that were introduced singly into a small and a large test cage. Both the laboratory mother-reared and the wild-reared Ss showed abnormal behavior. The extent of the normal behavior repertoire was not smaller in Ss showing a relatively large degree of abnormal behavior. In a large cage, more normal but less stereotyped locomotion was shown than in a small cage. However, nonlocomotory abnormal patterns were not influenced by cage dimensions. The various abnormal behaviors were randomly associated. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)