John Capitanio is a Research Psychologist at UC Davis.  His interests are in the causes and consequences of individual variation in temperament/personality in nonhuman primates.  A strong emphasis throughout his research is on behavior and social processes, and how they shape, buffer, and constrain physiological processes.

Abstract: There has been a growing interest in the study of animal personality, and nonhuman primate research has played a significant role in this field for many decades. My research program has focused on the causes and consequences of variation in personality dimensions in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). In this talk, I will focus on recent and current studies of prenatal and early postnatal influences on personality, some physiological mechanisms by which personality is associated with health outcomes, and implications of variation in personality for fitness-related outcomes, as well as for outcomes associated with management of captive primate colonies.