Vocal buffering of the stress response: exposure to conspecific vocalizations moderates urinary cortisol excretion in isolated marmosets (2005)

Rukstalis, M., French, J. A.

Abstract

For many species, the presence of a significant social partner can lessen the behavioral and physiological responses to stressful stimuli. This study examined whether a single, individually specific, signature vocalization (phee call) could attenuate the physiological stress response that is induced in marmosets by housing them in short-term social isolation. .. Isolated marmosets exposed to a familiar pair mate's vocalization showed significantly lower levels of urinary cortisol than when exposed to unfamiliar marmoset vocalizations (P <0.04) or to no auditory stimuli (P <0.03). .. The results presented here provide the first evidence that a single, individually specific communication signal can decrease the magnitude of a physiological stress response in a manner analogous to the physical presence of a social partner, a process we term vocal buffering.