A MATTER OF STYLE. How Tolerance affects Emotional contagion and Play in the genus Macaca

Between-species or between-population variation in social tolerance can affect the development of social skills or social behaviours, especially in primate species that are often subjected to a great influence of inter-individual social relationships. The 20 macaque species are all organized in multi-male, multi-female groups but vary along a continuum from despotic/intolerant to egalitarian/tolerant social systems. These different social styles influence a wide range of behaviours including aggression and affiliation patterns, dominance relationships, and nepotism. In this thesis I tested hypotheses on how behaviours based on basic forms of empathic abilities (like consolation and rapid facial mimicry) and social activities like play should be modulated by the different social styles.