This thesis explores social learning in mother-reared and “enculturated” capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). At the outset a framework for understanding the social influence on learning is discussed, followed by a review of the social and cognitive abilities of capuchin monkeys, establishing the rationale for studying social learning in this species. Studies of wild capuchins suggest an important role for social learning but experiments with captive subjects have generally failed to support this. Some potential reasons for the lack of evidence in experimental settings are given. An example of using the two - method design to test social learning in acquiring behaviour by enculturated subjects is addressed. The results are related to findings with other species tested with a similar apparatus. Before testing mother-reared monkeys, an observational study of the object manipulation and tool-use repertoire of the subjects was carried out in order to facilitate the design of suitable social learning tasks for these monkeys. The first empirical study in Chapter 6 reports results of experiments with the enculturated and mother-reared capuchin monkeys employing the two -action method together with a third control group. The enculturated monkeys exhibited high fidelity copying that included the specific tool use technique witnessed while opening the foraging box. Mother-reared monkeys exhibited fidelity at a lower level, tending only to re-create the results the model had achieved. The second empirical study in Chapter 7 tested whether capuchin monkeys could show cumulative cultural learning manifested in the ability to switch from an established mode of manipulating a dipping box to a complex yet more advantageous one. Both populations were able to do so. The enculturated monkeys, as in the previous study, showed higher fidelity copying of the model. The last experiment was a preliminary study employing the “do as I do” method which was carried out with four of the enculturated monkeys. It provides suggestive evidence for at least one monkey's understanding of the task. The results of the studies are discussed in relation to previous experimental research as well as to data from capuchin monkeys in nature. The possible role of enculturation in social learning ability is considered.

Foram imunizados 27 macacos-prego (Cebus apella), por via intramuscular, com vacina anti-rábica inativada, produzida a partir de cérebros de camundongos lactentes (VARCCL), empregada nas campanhas de prevenção da raiva animal de cães e gatos. Os animais permaneceram em cativeiro, durante o período de junho de 1995 a junho de 1997, sendo divididos em 3 grupos experimentais e vacinados conforme o esquema: grupo I, com 3 doses a intervalo de 30 dias; o II, com 2 doses a intervalo 30 dias e reforço aos 210 dias; e, o III com uma dose e reforço aos 210 dias. A revacinação anual foi realizada em todos os animais aos 365 dias. As amostras de soros foram obtidas aos 0, 30, 60, 90, 150, 210, 240, 300, 365, 395, 545 e 730 dias, e armazenadas à temperatura de -20ºC, e a dosagem dos anticorpos realizada através do teste simplificado da inibição da fluorescência. Verificou-se que os animais do grupo I apresentaram soroconversão mais duradoura (12232 dias) do que os dos grupos II e III (p<0,05) após a vacinação inicial, e os animais do grupo I apresentaram soroconversão mais duradoura (183,6120,6 dias) do que os dos grupos II (p<0,05), após a revacinação anual aos 365 dias. A VARCCL induziu a resposta imune nos macacos-prego, após vacinação e revacinação, respectivamente, em 81,4 por cento e 76,0 por cento dos animais; com produção de anticorpos neutralizantes, iguais ou superiores a 0,5 UI/ml, porém, de curta duração; não constituindo assim, imunógeno apropriado para ser utilizado na rotina de imunização destes animais de difícil lide, mantidos em cativeiro / Twenty-seven capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) were intramuscularly immunized with inactivated suckling mouse brain rabies vaccine (SMBV) employed in campaigns for animal rabies prevention in dogs and cats. The animals were kept confined from June, 1995 to June, 1997. They were divided into 3 experimental groups and vaccinated according to the following scheme: group I, with 3 doses within a 30-day interval; group II, with 2 doses within a 30-day interval and a booster dose at the 210th day; and, group III; with a single dose and a booster dose at the 210th day. All animals were given the annual re-vaccination at the 365th day. Sera samples were obtained at the 0th, 30 th, 60th, 90 th, 150 th, 210 th, 240 th, 300 th, 365 th, 395 th, 545 th e 730 th days and kept stored at 20ºC. The antibodies dosage was carried out through the simplified inhibition fluorescent test. The following results were observed: animals belonging to group I had longer humoral immune response (12232 days) than the ones belonging either to group II or group III (p<0.05) after initial vaccination; animals of group I presented longer humoral immune response (183.6120.6 days) than the ones of the group II (p<0.05) after the annual re-vaccination at the 365th day. The SMBV induced humoral immune response in capuchin monkeys after vaccination and re-vaccination in respectively 81.4 per cent and 76.0 per cent of the animals, producing neutralizing antibodies equal to or higher than 0.5 IU/ml; however, they were short-lasting, being therefore not appropriate as an immunogen to be used routinely in the immunization of these animals which are difficult both to be deal with and to be held confined

Foram imunizados 27 macacos-prego (Cebus apella), por via intramuscular, com vacina anti-rábica inativada, produzida a partir de cérebros de camundongos lactentes (VARCCL), empregada nas campanhas de prevenção da raiva animal de cães e gatos. Os animais permaneceram em cativeiro, durante o período de junho de 1995 a junho de 1997, sendo divididos em 3 grupos experimentais e vacinados conforme o esquema: grupo I, com 3 doses a intervalo de 30 dias; o II, com 2 doses a intervalo 30 dias e reforço aos 210 dias; e, o III com uma dose e reforço aos 210 dias. A revacinação anual foi realizada em todos os animais aos 365 dias. As amostras de soros foram obtidas aos 0, 30, 60, 90, 150, 210, 240, 300, 365, 395, 545 e 730 dias, e armazenadas à temperatura de -20ºC, e a dosagem dos anticorpos realizada através do teste simplificado da inibição da fluorescência. Verificou-se que os animais do grupo I apresentaram soroconversão mais duradoura (12232 dias) do que os dos grupos II e III (p<0,05) após a vacinação inicial, e os animais do grupo I apresentaram soroconversão mais duradoura (183,6120,6 dias) do que os dos grupos II (p<0,05), após a revacinação anual aos 365 dias. A VARCCL induziu a resposta imune nos macacos-prego, após vacinação e revacinação, respectivamente, em 81,4 por cento e 76,0 por cento dos animais; com produção de anticorpos neutralizantes, iguais ou superiores a 0,5 UI/ml, porém, de curta duração; não constituindo assim, imunógeno apropriado para ser utilizado na rotina de imunização destes animais de difícil lide, mantidos em cativeiro / Twenty-seven capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) were intramuscularly immunized with inactivated suckling mouse brain rabies vaccine (SMBV) employed in campaigns for animal rabies prevention in dogs and cats. The animals were kept confined from June, 1995 to June, 1997. They were divided into 3 experimental groups and vaccinated according to the following scheme: group I, with 3 doses within a 30-day interval; group II, with 2 doses within a 30-day interval and a booster dose at the 210th day; and, group III; with a single dose and a booster dose at the 210th day. All animals were given the annual re-vaccination at the 365th day. Sera samples were obtained at the 0th, 30 th, 60th, 90 th, 150 th, 210 th, 240 th, 300 th, 365 th, 395 th, 545 th e 730 th days and kept stored at 20ºC. The antibodies dosage was carried out through the simplified inhibition fluorescent test. The following results were observed: animals belonging to group I had longer humoral immune response (12232 days) than the ones belonging either to group II or group III (p<0.05) after initial vaccination; animals of group I presented longer humoral immune response (183.6120.6 days) than the ones of the group II (p<0.05) after the annual re-vaccination at the 365th day. The SMBV induced humoral immune response in capuchin monkeys after vaccination and re-vaccination in respectively 81.4 per cent and 76.0 per cent of the animals, producing neutralizing antibodies equal to or higher than 0.5 IU/ml; however, they were short-lasting, being therefore not appropriate as an immunogen to be used routinely in the immunization of these animals which are difficult both to be deal with and to be held confined