Mason, W. A. 1991. Effects of social interaction on well-being: Development aspects. Laboratory Animal Science 41, 323-328 .

Captive animals will be served best if developing individuals are raised at least through weaning by their biological mothers and have the experience of living in a social group that approximates the size and age-sex composition of the group in which they would develop in nature. ... It seems unlikely, however, that peer experience alone can provide a practical alternative to mother-rearing.