Social stability influences the association between adrenal responsiveness and hair cortisol concentrations in rhesus macaques.

•Adrenal sensitivity to ACTH predicts Hair cortisol concentrations in infancy.•Adrenal sensitivity in infancy predicts adult hair cortisol concentrations.•Social stress eliminates the adrenal sensitivity - hair cortisol association.•Hair cortisol was higher in winter and fall than summer and spring.