This study examines the influences within a social group that affect an individual's power. Adult intersexual dyadic interactions were investigated in two groups of socially housed adult female pigtailed monkeys and two groups of socially housed adult female rhesus monkeys. Animals lived in field cages with one or two adult males. Focal animal observations were conducted from November, 1995 through June, 1996. Rhesus monkeys are seasonal breeders and pigtailed monkeys are not, so estrous synchrony was high in rhesus groups and absent in pigtailed groups. Social interactions were analyzed with ANOVA and paired comparisons. In both multi-male groups, males initiated affiliative behaviors with females more often regardless of reproductive state. In the one-male pigtailed group, male initiated affiliation increased as a female's estrous swelling increased. In the rhesus group, female initiated affiliation with males increased during the breeding season, suggesting that male power increased during the breeding season since females had to compete for access to the male. These results demonstrate different female power in relation to her reproductive state.
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