 
I have two broad research interests: reproduction
and social behavior. My research program in reproduction currently
focuses on the spotted hyena and the ring-tailed lemur. These
are unusual species in that the females display a suite of masculinized
characteristics, including male-like or exaggerated external
genitalia and social dominance. The study of naturally
occurring hormones in such unique mammals can reveal general
processes of hormonal activity, expressed in genital morphology,
reproductive development, and social behavior. Taking a combined
laboratory and field approach allows me to relate captive data
to various facets of the animals' natural habitat, thereby enhancing
the ecological validity of assay procedures and enriching interpretation
in an evolutionary framework. The goal of comparative studies
of hyenas and lemurs is to help elucidate the mechanisms of mammalian
sexual differentiation.
My research program in social behavior focuses on social learning
and group cohesion. Using naturalistic tasks that I present
to captive animals in socially relevant contexts, I can investigate
how social interactions modulate behavior, problem-solving, and
cognitive performance. By studying and comparing models
of carnivore cooperative hunting and primate foraging, I can
better understand how group-living animals modify their actions
to meet environmental demands. A primary interest is determining
whether similar factors, related to having a complex social organization,
influence learning and performance across taxonomic groups.
I am also interested in how animals learn rules of social conduct
and maintain social cohesion, as evidenced by their patterns
of behavioral developmental, the intricate balance between aggression
and play, the expression of scent marking, and the social facilitation
or inhibition of behavior.
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RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Drea, C.M., Coscia, E.M., & Glickman, S.E. (1999).
Hyenas. In: E. Knobil, J. Neill, & P. Licht (Eds.),
Encyclopedia of Reproduction, Vol. 2 (pp. 718-725). San
Diego: Academic Press.
Drea, C.M. & Wallen, K. (1999). Low status monkeys
"play dumb" when learning in mixed social groups.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 96(22): 12965-12969.
Drea, C.M., Weldele, M.L., Forger, N.G., Coscia, E.M., Frank,
L.G., Licht, P., & Glickman, S.E. (1998). Androgens
and masculinization of genitalia in the spotted hyaena (Crocuta
crocuta). 2. Effects of prenatal anti-androgens. Journal
of Reproduction & Fertility, 113: 117-127.
Drea, C.M. (1998). Status, age, and sex effects on performance
of discrimination tasks in group-tested rhesus monkeys.
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 112(2): 170-182.
Drea, C.M. (1998). Social context affects how rhesus
monkeys explore their environment. American Journal of
Primatology, 44(3): 205-214.
Drea, C.M., Hawk, J.E., & Glickman, S.E. (1996).
Aggression decreases as play emerges in infant spotted hyaenas:
preparation for joining the clan. Animal Behaviour, 51(6):
1323-1336.
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