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Delval I, Fernández-Bolaños M, Izar P. Towards an Integrated Concept of Personality in Human and Nonhuman Animals. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2024; 58:271-302. [PMID: 37059965 PMCID: PMC10104772 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-023-09759-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Every individual has an idiosyncratic way of feeling, thinking and behaving, which is relatively stable across time and situations. Usually known as Personality, today this phenomenon is recognized in many species, including arthropods, fish, avian or mammals. From an evolutionary perspective, research has shown that personality differences are manifest in distinctive forms of dealing with selective pressures, with consequences for fitness. Despite these facts, the study of personality in animals other than humans is relatively new. Only two decades ago, consistent behavioral individual differences were considered 'noise' around an optimal strategy for behavioral ecologists. Also, psychologists were not interested in animal personality as a consequence of the fear of anthropomorphization and the erroneous belief that humans are unique in nature. Fortunately, this misconception seems already overcome but there are still conceptual issues preventing a unified concept of personality. Throughout this review, we first explore the etymological origins of personality and other terminological issues. We further revise the historical course of the study of personality in humans and other animals, from the perspectives of Psychology and Behavioral Ecology, on the basis of the most used approach, the trait theory. We present the study of nonhuman primates as a paradigmatic example in between both frameworks. Finally, we discuss about the necessity of a unified science of personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Delval
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Fernández-Bolaños
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Izar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo (IP-USP). Av. Prof. Mello Moraes 1721, São Paulo, SP, CEP 05508-030, Brazil
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2
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Haux LM, Engelmann JM, Arslan RC, Hertwig R, Herrmann E. Chimpanzee and Human Risk Preferences Show Key Similarities. Psychol Sci 2023; 34:358-369. [PMID: 36595467 DOI: 10.1177/09567976221140326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Risk preference impacts how people make key life decisions related to health, wealth, and well-being. Systematic variations in risk-taking behavior can be the result of differences in fitness expectations, as predicted by life-history theory. Yet the evolutionary roots of human risk-taking behavior remain poorly understood. Here, we studied risk preferences of chimpanzees (86 Pan troglodytes; 47 females; age = 2-40 years) using a multimethod approach that combined observer ratings with behavioral choice experiments. We found that chimpanzees' willingness to take risks shared structural similarities with that of humans. First, chimpanzees' risk preference manifested as a traitlike preference that was consistent across domains and measurements. Second, chimpanzees were ambiguity averse. Third, males were more risk prone than females. Fourth, the appetite for risk showed an inverted-U-shaped relation to age and peaked in young adulthood. Our findings suggest that key dimensions of risk preference appear to emerge independently of the influence of human cultural evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lou M Haux
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
| | - Jan M Engelmann
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
| | - Ruben C Arslan
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
| | - Ralph Hertwig
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
| | - Esther Herrmann
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth
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3
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Chotard H, Bard KA, Micheletta J, Davila-Ross M. Testing for personality consistency across naturally occurring behavioral contexts in sanctuary chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23451. [PMID: 36394276 PMCID: PMC10078319 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Personality is both a reflection of the bio-behavioral profile of individuals and a summary of how they typically interact with their physical and social world. Personality is usually defined as having distinct behavioral characteristics, which are assumed to be consistent over time and across contexts. Like other mammals, primates have individual differences in personality. Although temporal consistency is sometimes measured in primates, and contextual consistency is sometimes measured across experimental contexts, it is rare to measure both in the same individuals and outside of experimental settings. Here, we aim to measure both temporal and contextual consistency in chimpanzees, assessing their personality with behavioral observations from naturally occurring contexts (i.e., real-life settings). We measured personality-based behaviors in 22 sanctuary chimpanzees, in the contexts of feeding, affiliation, resting, and solitude, across two time periods, spanning 4 years. Of the 22 behaviors recorded, about 64% were consistent across two to four contexts and 50% were consistent over time. Ten behaviors loaded significantly onto three trait components: explorativeness, boldness-sociability, and anxiety-sociability, as revealed by factor analysis. Like others, we documented individual differences in the personality of chimpanzees based on reliably measured observations in real-life contexts. Furthermore, we demonstrated relatively strong, but not absolute, temporal, and contextual consistency in personality-based behaviors. We also found another aspect of individual differences in personality, specifically, the extent to which individual chimpanzees show consistency. Some individuals showed contextual and temporal consistency, whereas others show significant variation across behaviors, contexts, and/or time. We speculate that the relative degree of consistency in personality may vary within chimpanzees. It may be that different primate species vary in the extent to which individuals show consistency of personality traits. Our behavioral-based assessment can be used with wild populations, increasing the validity of personality studies, facilitating comparative studies and potentially being applicable to conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Chotard
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Kim A Bard
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Jérôme Micheletta
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Marina Davila-Ross
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
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4
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Weiss A, Feldblum JT, Altschul DM, Collins DA, Kamenya S, Mjungu D, Foerster S, Gilby IC, Wilson ML, Pusey AE. Personality traits, rank attainment, and siring success throughout the lives of male chimpanzees of Gombe National Park. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15083. [PMID: 37123001 PMCID: PMC10135409 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Personality traits in many taxa correlate with fitness. Several models have been developed to try to explain how variation in these traits is maintained. One model proposes that variation persists because it is linked to trade-offs between current and future adaptive benefits. Tests of this model's predictions, however, are scant in long-lived species. To test this model, we studied male chimpanzees living in Gombe National Park, Tanzania. We operationalized six personality traits using ratings on 19 items. We used 37 years of behavioral and genetic data to assemble (1) daily rank scores generated from submissive vocalizations and (2) records of male siring success. We tested whether the association between two personality traits, Dominance and Conscientiousness, and either rank or reproductive success, varied over the life course. Higher Dominance and lower Conscientiousness were associated with higher rank, but the size and direction of these relationships did not vary over the life course. In addition, independent of rank at the time of siring, higher Dominance and lower Conscientiousness were related to higher siring success. Again, the size and direction of these relationships did not vary over the life course. The trade-off model, therefore, may not hold in long-lived and/or slowly reproducing species. These findings also demonstrate that ratings are a valid way to measure animal personality; they are related to rank and reproductive success. These traits could therefore be used to test alternative models, including one that posits that personality variation is maintained by environmental heterogeneity, in studies of multiple chimpanzee communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Weiss
- National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
- School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Scottish Primate Research Group, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph T. Feldblum
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Society of Fellows, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Drew M. Altschul
- School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Scottish Primate Research Group, United Kingdom
- Mental Health Data Science, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Shadrack Kamenya
- Gombe Stream Research Centre, Jane Goodall Institute, Kigoma, Tanzania
| | - Deus Mjungu
- Gombe Stream Research Centre, Jane Goodall Institute, Kigoma, Tanzania
| | - Steffen Foerster
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - Ian C. Gilby
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
- Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Michael L. Wilson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States of America
- Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States of America
| | - Anne E. Pusey
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States of America
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5
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Weiss A, Yokoyama C, Hayashi T, Inoue-Murayama M. Personality, subjective well-being, and the serotonin 1a receptor gene in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0238663. [PMID: 34370743 PMCID: PMC8351977 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of personality traits in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) indicate that there are five or six constructs-Sociability, Dominance, Neuroticism, Openness, and two related to Conscientiousness. The present study attempted to determine whether our earlier study of laboratory-housed individuals only yielded three-Dominance, Sociability, and Neuroticism-because of a low amount of between-subjects variance. To do so, we increased our sample size from 77 to 128. In addition, we ascertained the reliability and validity of ratings and whether polymorphisms related to the serotonin 1a receptor were associated with personality. We found Sociability, Dominance, and Negative Affect factors that resembled three domains found in previous studies, including ours. We also found an Openness and Impulsiveness factor, the latter of which bore some resemblance to Conscientiousness, and two higher-order factors, Pro-sociality and Boldness. In further analyses, we could not exclude the possibility that Pro-sociality and Boldness represented a higher-level of personality organization. Correlations between personality factors and well-being were consistent with the definitions of the factors. There were no significant associations between personality and genotype. These results suggest that common marmoset personality structure varies as a function of rearing or housing variables that have not yet been investigated systematically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Weiss
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Chihiro Yokoyama
- Laboratory for Brain Connectomics Imaging, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Takuya Hayashi
- Laboratory for Brain Connectomics Imaging, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
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6
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Weiss A, Wilson VAD, Hopkins WD. Early social rearing, the V1A arginine vasopressin receptor genotype, and autistic traits in chimpanzees. Autism Res 2021; 14:1843-1853. [PMID: 34089305 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies found associations between autism-related phenotypes and both rearing and V1A arginine vasopressin receptor (AVPR1A) genotypes. We tested whether these exposures as well as their interaction were associated with autism-related phenotypes in 121 laboratory-housed chimpanzees. We used expert-derived weights to obtain autism scores from ratings on the 43-item Chimpanzee Personality Questionnaire; higher scores indicated more autistic-like traits. The first model included fixed effects for sex, age, and rearing, and a random effect that addressed the relatedness of subjects. The second model was the same except that it also included the rearing × AVPR1A genotype interaction as a fixed effect. Both models indicated that the phenotype was moderately heritable and that chimpanzees reared by their mothers had lower scores on the scale. The effect of genotype in both models indicated that chimpanzees with an indel deletion had higher scores on the scale, although the credible interval included zero. Moreover, the rearing × genotype interaction in the second model indicated that chimpanzees who possessed the non-deletion genotype and who were reared by their mother were at even greater risk. The credible interval for this effect did not include zero, but fit statistics indicated that the model without the interaction was marginally better, and the interaction was in the opposite direction than we expected based on previous work. These findings highlight the importance of rearing effects in the typical social development of our closet-living nonhuman relative. LAY SUMMARY: We tested whether, in chimpanzees, scores on a scale comprising traits that resembled aspects of autism were related to a gene associated with autism in prior research and/or early rearing. Human-reared chimpanzees had higher scores (indicating more autistic-like traits). Chimpanzees that possessed the gene also had higher scores, but we could not exclude the possibility that there was no effect of genotype. These findings suggest that we can measure autism-like characteristics in chimpanzees, and so study it in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Weiss
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Scottish Primate Research Group, United Kingdom
| | - Vanessa A D Wilson
- Department of Comparative Cognition, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland.,Distributional Linguistics Lab, Department of Comparative Language Science, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - William D Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, USA
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7
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Uher J. Three methodological core issues of comparative personality research. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/per.688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Comparative personality research in human and nonhuman species advances many areas of empirical and theoretical research. The methodological foundations underlying these attempts to explain personality, however, remain an unpopular and often ignored topic. The target paper and this rejoinder explore three methodological core issues in the philosophy of science for comparative personality research: Conceptualising personality variation, identifying domains of variation and measuring variation. Clear distinctions among these issues may help to avoid misunderstandings among different disciplines concerned with personality. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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8
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Abstract
In the broadest sense, personality refers to stable inter‐individual variability in behavioural organisation within a particular population. Researching personality in human as well as nonhuman species provides unique possibilities for comparisons across species with different phylogenies, ecologies and social systems. It also allows insights into mechanisms and processes of the evolution of population differences within and between species. The enormous diversity across species entails particular challenges to methodology. This paper explores theoretical approaches and analytical methods of deriving dimensions of inter‐individual variability on different population levels from a personality trait perspective. The existing diversity suggests that some populations, especially some species, may exhibit different or even unique trait domains. Therefore, a methodology is needed that identifies ecologically valid and comprehensive representations of the personality variation within each population. I taxonomise and compare current approaches in their suitability for this task. I propose a new bottom–up approach—the behavioural repertoire approach—that is tailored to the specific methodological requirements of comparative personality research. Initial empirical results in nonhuman primates emphasise the viability of this approach and highlight interesting implications for human personality research. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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9
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Clay AW, Bard KA, Bloomsmith MA. Effects of sex and early rearing condition on adult behavior, health, and well-being in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Behav Processes 2018; 156:58-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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10
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Altschul DM, Hopkins WD, Herrelko ES, Inoue-Murayama M, Matsuzawa T, King JE, Ross SR, Weiss A. Personality links with lifespan in chimpanzees. eLife 2018; 7:e33781. [PMID: 30296994 PMCID: PMC6177254 DOI: 10.7554/elife.33781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Life history strategies for optimizing individual fitness fall on a spectrum between maximizing reproductive efforts and maintaining physical health over time. Strategies across this spectrum are viable and different suites of personality traits evolved to support these strategies. Using data from 538 captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) we tested whether any of the dimensions of chimpanzee personality - agreeableness, conscientiousness, dominance, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness - were associated with longevity, an attribute of slow life history strategies that is especially important in primates given their relatively long lives. We found that higher agreeableness was related to longevity in males, with weaker evidence suggesting that higher openness is related to longer life in females. Our results link the literature on human and nonhuman primate survival and suggest that, for males, evolution has favored the protective effects of low aggression and high quality social bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew M Altschul
- Department of PsychologySchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Scottish Primate Research GroupUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive EpidemiologyEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience InstituteGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaUnited States
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive NeurosciencesYerkes National Primate Research CenterAtlantaUnited States
| | - Elizabeth S Herrelko
- National Zoological Park, Smithsonian InstitutionWashingtonUnited States
- Psychology DivisionUniversity of StirlingStirlingUnited Kingdom
| | - Miho Inoue-Murayama
- Wildlife Research CenterKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Wildlife Genome Collaborative Research GroupNational Institute for Environmental StudiesTsukubaJapan
| | - Tetsuro Matsuzawa
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Primate Research InstituteKyoto UniversityInuyamaJapan
- Japan Monkey CentreInuyamaJapan
| | - James E King
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of ArizonaTucsonUnited States
| | - Stephen R Ross
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of ApesLincoln Park ZooChicagoUnited States
| | - Alexander Weiss
- Department of PsychologySchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Scottish Primate Research GroupUnited Kingdom
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11
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Common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) personality, subjective well-being, hair cortisol level and AVPR1a, OPRM1, and DAT genotypes. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10255. [PMID: 29980755 PMCID: PMC6035208 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28112-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We studied personality, subjective well-being, and hair cortisol level, in common marmosets Callithrix jacchus, a small, cooperatively breeding New World monkey, by examining their associations with one another and genotypes. Subjects were 68 males and 9 females that lived in the RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies. Personality and subjective well-being were assessed by keeper ratings on two questionnaires, hair samples were obtained to assay cortisol level and buccal swabs were used to assess AVPR1a, OPRM1 and DAT genotypes. Three personality domains-Dominance, Sociability, and Neuroticism-were identified. Consistent with findings in other species, Sociability and Neuroticism were related to higher and lower subjective well-being, respectively. Sociability was also associated with higher hair cortisol levels. The personality domains and hair cortisol levels were heritable and associated with genotypes: the short form of AVPR1a was associated with lower Neuroticism and the AA genotype of the A111T SNP of OPRM1 was related to lower Dominance, lower Neuroticism, and higher hair cortisol level. Some genetic associations were not in directions that one would expect given findings in other species. These findings provide insights into the proximate and ultimate bases of personality in common marmosets, other primates and humans.
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12
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Weiss A. A human model for primate personality. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1129. [PMID: 29021170 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article, I review the literature to determine how successful the latent trait theory model of personality from differential psychology has been for studying personality in non-human primates. The evidence for the success of this model is quite good, and offers insights and directions for personality research in primates and other animals. This, I conclude, stems from (i) the human trait model's simplicity, and (ii) the fact that the human differential model of personality developed in the face of harsh criticism, which led researchers to test and refine their models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Weiss
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK
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13
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Weiss A, Wilson ML, Collins DA, Mjungu D, Kamenya S, Foerster S, Pusey AE. Personality in the chimpanzees of Gombe National Park. Sci Data 2017; 4:170146. [PMID: 29064463 PMCID: PMC5654364 DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2017.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers increasingly view animal personality traits as products of natural selection. We present data that describe the personalities of 128 eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) currently living in or who lived their lives in the Kasekela and Mitumba communities of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. We obtained ratings on 24 items from an established, reliable, well-validated questionnaire used to study personality in captive chimpanzee populations. Ratings were made by former and present Tanzanian field assistants who followed individual chimpanzees for years and collected detailed behavioral observations. Interrater reliabilities across items ranged from acceptable to good, but the personality dimensions they formed were not as interpretable as those from captive samples. However, the personality dimensions corresponded to ratings of 24 Kasekela chimpanzees on a different questionnaire in 1973 that assessed some similar traits. These correlations established the repeatability and construct validity of the present ratings, indicating that the present data can facilitate historical and prospective studies that will lead to better understanding of the evolution of personality in chimpanzees and other primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Weiss
- National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
- Scottish Primate Research Group, UK
| | - Michael L. Wilson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - D. Anthony Collins
- Gombe Stream Research Centre, The Jane Goodall Institute, P.O. Box 185, Kigoma, Tanzania
| | - Deus Mjungu
- Gombe Stream Research Centre, The Jane Goodall Institute, P.O. Box 185, Kigoma, Tanzania
| | - Shadrack Kamenya
- Gombe Stream Research Centre, The Jane Goodall Institute, P.O. Box 185, Kigoma, Tanzania
| | - Steffen Foerster
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Anne E. Pusey
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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14
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Webb CE, Romero T, Franks B, de Waal FBM. Long-term consistency in chimpanzee consolation behaviour reflects empathetic personalities. Nat Commun 2017; 8:292. [PMID: 28819207 PMCID: PMC5561193 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00360-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to a wealth of human studies, little is known about the ontogeny and consistency of empathy-related capacities in other species. Consolation-post-conflict affiliation from uninvolved bystanders to distressed others-is a suggested marker of empathetic concern in non-human animals. Using longitudinal data comprising nearly a decade of observations on over 3000 conflict interactions in 44 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), we provide evidence for relatively stable individual differences in consolation behaviour. Across development, individuals consistently differ from one another in this trait, with higher consolatory tendencies predicting better social integration, a sign of social competence. Further, similar to recent results in other ape species, but in contrast to many human self-reported findings, older chimpanzees are less likely to console than are younger individuals. Overall, given the link between consolation and empathy, these findings help elucidate the development of individual socio-cognitive and -emotional abilities in one of our closest relatives.Non-human animals are known to exhibit behaviours suggestive of empathy, but the development and maintenance of these traits is unexplored. Here, Webb and colleagues quantify individual consolation tendencies over 10 years across two chimpanzee groups and show evidence of consistent 'empathetic personalities'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine E Webb
- Living Links, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3508 TC, The Netherlands.
| | - Teresa Romero
- Living Links, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, LN6 7TS, UK.
- Department of Cognitive and Behavioural Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 153-0041, Japan.
| | - Becca Franks
- Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - Frans B M de Waal
- Living Links, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3508 TC, The Netherlands
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15
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Šimková O, Frýdlová P, Žampachová B, Frynta D, Landová E. Development of behavioural profile in the Northern common boa (Boa imperator): Repeatable independent traits or personality? PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177911. [PMID: 28542424 PMCID: PMC5443515 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies of animal personality have focused on its proximate causation and ecological and evolutionary significance in particular, but the question of its development was largely overlooked. The attributes of personality are defined as between-individual differences in behaviour, which are consistent over time (differential consistency) and contexts (contextual generality) and both can be affected by development. We assessed several candidates for personality variables measured in various tests with different contexts over several life-stages (juveniles, older juveniles, subadults and adults) in the Northern common boa. Variables describing foraging/feeding decision and some of the defensive behaviours expressed as individual average values are highly repeatable and consistent. We found two main personality axes-one associated with foraging/feeding and the speed of decision, the other reflecting agonistic behaviour. Intensity of behaviour in the feeding context changes during development, but the level of agonistic behaviour remains the same. The juveniles and adults have a similar personality structure, but there is a period of structural change of behaviour during the second year of life (subadults). These results require a new theoretical model to explain the selection pressures resulting in this developmental pattern of personality. We also studied the proximate factors and their relationship to behavioural characteristics. Physiological parameters (heart and breath rate stress response) measured in adults clustered with variables concerning the agonistic behavioural profile, while no relationship between the juvenile/adult body size and personality concerning feeding/foraging and the agonistic behavioural profile was found. Our study suggests that it is important for studies of personality development to focus on both the structural and differential consistency, because even though behaviour is differentially consistent, the structure can change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Šimková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Frýdlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Žampachová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Frynta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Landová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
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16
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17
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Wilson VAD, Weiss A, Humle T, Morimura N, Udono T, Idani G, Matsuzawa T, Hirata S, Inoue-Murayama M. Chimpanzee Personality and the Arginine Vasopressin Receptor 1A Genotype. Behav Genet 2016; 47:215-226. [PMID: 27804047 PMCID: PMC5306277 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-016-9822-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Polymorphisms of the arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (AVPR1a) gene have been linked to various measures related to human social behavior, including sibling conflict and agreeableness. In chimpanzees, AVPR1a polymorphisms have been associated with traits important for social interactions, including sociability, joint attention, dominance, conscientiousness, and hierarchical personality dimensions named low alpha/stability, disinhibition, and negative emotionality/low dominance. We examined associations between AVPR1a and six personality domains and hierarchical personality dimensions in 129 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) living in Japan or in a sanctuary in Guinea. We fit three linear and three animal models. The first model included genotype, the second included sex and genotype, and the third included genotype, sex, and sex × genotype. All personality phenotypes were heritable. Chimpanzees possessing the long form of the allele were higher in conscientiousness, but only in models that did not include the other predictors; however, additional analyses suggested that this may have been a consequence of study design. In animal models that included sex and sex × genotype, chimpanzees homozygous for the short form of the allele were higher in extraversion. Taken with the findings of previous studies of chimpanzees and humans, the findings related to conscientiousness suggest that AVPR1a may be related to lower levels of impulsive aggression. The direction of the association between AVPR1a genotype and extraversion ran counter to what one would expect if AVPR1a was related to social behaviors. These results help us further understand the genetic basis of personality in chimpanzees.
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Affiliation(s)
- V A D Wilson
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.,Cognitive Ethology, German Primate Center, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Leibniz-ScienceCampus, Göttingen, Germany
| | - A Weiss
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.
| | - T Humle
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - N Morimura
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - T Udono
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - G Idani
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - T Matsuzawa
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan.,Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Japan
| | - S Hirata
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - M Inoue-Murayama
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
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18
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Robinson LM, Morton FB, Gartner MC, Widness J, Paukner A, Essler JL, Brosnan SF, Weiss A. Divergent personality structures of brown (Sapajus apella) and white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus). J Comp Psychol 2016; 130:305-312. [PMID: 27841454 PMCID: PMC5119626 DOI: 10.1037/com0000037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
One way to gain insights into personality evolution is by comparing the personality structures of related species. We compared the personality structure of 240 wild white-faced capuchin monkeys to the personality structure of 100 captive brown capuchin monkeys. An ancillary goal was to test the degree to which different personality questionnaires yielded similar personality dimensions. Both species were rated on a common set of 26 antonym pairs. The brown capuchin monkeys were also rated on the 54-item Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. Our cross-species comparisons revealed 3 personality dimensions-Assertiveness, Openness, and Neuroticism-shared by brown and white-faced capuchins, suggesting that these dimensions were present in the common ancestor of these species. Our comparison of the dimensions derived from the antonym pairs and the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire revealed that three common dimensions were identified by both questionnaires. In addition, the dimension Attentiveness was only identified using the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. These results indicate that major features of capuchin personality are conserved and that the structure of some traits, such as those related to focus, persistence, and attention, diverged. Further work is needed to identify the evolutionary bases that led to the conservation of some dimensions but not others. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M. Robinson
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh
- Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh
- Scottish Primate Research Group, United Kingdom
| | - F. Blake Morton
- Scottish Primate Research Group, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Franklin & Marshall College
| | | | | | - Annika Paukner
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| | - Jennifer L. Essler
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Alexander Weiss
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh
- Scottish Primate Research Group, United Kingdom
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19
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Garai C, Weiss A, Arnaud C, Furuichi T. Personality in wild bonobos (Pan paniscus). Am J Primatol 2016; 78:1178-1189. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Revised: 04/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cintia Garai
- Primate Research Institute; Kyoto University; Inuyama Aichi Japan
| | - Alexander Weiss
- Scottish Primate Research Group, Department of Psychology; School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences; The University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh United Kingdom
| | - Coline Arnaud
- Wildlife Research Center; Kyoto University; Sakyo-ku Kyoto Japan
| | - Takeshi Furuichi
- Primate Research Institute; Kyoto University; Inuyama Aichi Japan
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20
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Latzman RD, Drislane LE, Hecht LK, Brislin SJ, Patrick CJ, Lilienfeld SO, Freeman HJ, Schapiro SJ, Hopkins WD. A Chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes) Model of Triarchic Psychopathy Constructs: Development and Initial Validation. Clin Psychol Sci 2016; 4:50-66. [PMID: 26779396 PMCID: PMC4713038 DOI: 10.1177/2167702615568989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The current work sought to operationalize constructs of the triarchic model of psychopathy in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), a species well-suited for investigations of basic biobehavioral dispositions relevant to psychopathology. Across three studies, we generated validity evidence for scale measures of the triarchic model constructs in a large sample (N=238) of socially-housed chimpanzees. Using a consensus-based rating approach, we first identified candidate items for the chimpanzee triarchic (CHMP-Tri) scales from an existing primate personality instrument and refined these into scales. In Study 2, we collected data for these scales from human informants (N=301), and examined their convergent and divergent relations with scales from another triarchic inventory developed for human use. In Study 3, we undertook validation work examining associations between CHMP-Tri scales and task measures of approach-avoidance behavior (N=73) and ability to delay gratification (N=55). Current findings provide support for a chimpanzee model of core dispositions relevant to psychopathy and other forms of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Hani J. Freeman
- Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National
Primate Research Center
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21
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Latzman RD, Sauvigné KC, Hopkins WD. Translating chimpanzee personality to humans: Investigating the transportability of chimpanzee-derived personality scales to humans. Am J Primatol 2015; 78:601-9. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute; Georgia State University; Atlanta Georgia
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience; Yerkes National Primate Research Center; Atlanta Georgia
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22
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Faughn C, Marrus N, Shuman J, Ross SR, Constantino JN, Pruett JR, Povinelli DJ. Brief Report: Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness Scale (CSRS) Detects Individual Variation in Social Responsiveness for Captive Chimpanzees. J Autism Dev Disord 2015; 45:1483-8. [PMID: 25312279 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2273-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Comparative studies of social responsiveness, a core impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), will enhance our understanding of typical and atypical social behavior. We previously reported a quantitative, cross-species (human-chimpanzee) social responsiveness measure, which included the development of the Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness Scale (CSRS). Here, we augment our prior CSRS sample with 25 zoo chimpanzees at three sites: combined N = 54. The CSRS demonstrated strong interrater reliability, and low-ranked chimpanzees, on average, displayed higher CSRS scores. The CSRS continues to discriminate variation in chimpanzee social responsiveness, and the association of higher scores with lower chimpanzee social standing has implications for the relationship between autistic traits and human social status. Continued comparative investigations of social responsiveness will enhance our understanding of underlying impairments in ASD, improve early diagnosis, and inform future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carley Faughn
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA, USA,
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23
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Latzman RD, Freeman HD, Schapiro SJ, Hopkins WD. The contribution of genetics and early rearing experiences to hierarchical personality dimensions in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). J Pers Soc Psychol 2015; 109:889-900. [PMID: 25915132 PMCID: PMC4613814 DOI: 10.1037/pspp0000040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A reliable literature finds that traits are related to each other in an organized hierarchy encompassing various conceptualizations of personality (e.g., Big Three, five-factor model). Recent work suggests the potential of a similar organization among our closest nonhuman relative, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), with significant links to neurobiology suggesting an evolutionarily and neurobiologically based hierarchical structure of personality. The current study investigated this hierarchical structure, the heritability of the various personality dimensions across levels of the hierarchy, and associations with early social rearing experience in a large sample (N = 238) of socially housed, captive chimpanzees residing in 2 independent colonies of apes. Results provide support for a hierarchical structure of personality in chimpanzees with significant associations with early rearing experiences. Further, heritabilities of the various dimensions varied by early rearing, with affective dimensions found to be significantly heritable among mother-reared apes, whereas personality dimensions were largely independent of relatedness among the nursery-reared apes. Taken together, these findings provide evidence for the influence of both genetic and environmental factors on personality profiles across levels of the hierarchy, supporting the importance of considering environmental variation in models of quantitative trait evolution.
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24
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Latzman RD, Hecht LK, Freeman HD, Schapiro SJ, Hopkins WD. Neuroanatomical correlates of personality in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Associations between personality and frontal cortex. Neuroimage 2015; 123:63-71. [PMID: 26311604 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Revised: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Converging empirical data suggests that a set of largely consistent personality traits exist in both human and nonhuman primates; despite these similarities, almost nothing is known concerning the neurobiological basis of these traits in nonhuman primates. The current study examined associations between chimpanzee personality traits and the grey matter volume and asymmetry of various frontal cortex regions in 107 captive chimpanzees. Chimpanzees rated as higher on Openness and Extraversion had greater bilateral grey matter volumes in the anterior cingulate cortex. Further, chimpanzee rated as higher on Dominance had larger grey volumes in the left anterior cingulate cortex and right Prefrontal Cortex (PFC). Finally, apes rated higher on Reactivity/Unpredictability had higher grey matter volumes in the right mesial PFC. All associations survived after applying False Discovery Rate (FDR) thresholds. Results are discussed in terms of current neuroscientific models of personality which suggest that the frontal cortex, and asymmetries in this region, play an important role in the neurobiological foundation of broad dispositional traits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa K Hecht
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, USA
| | - Hani D Freeman
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA; Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, USA; Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, USA
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25
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Abstract
To better understand human and chimpanzee personality evolution, we obtained trait ratings of personality for 154 captive bonobos (~80% of the U.S. and European population). We found factors that we labeled Assertiveness, Conscientiousness, Openness, Agreeableness, Attentiveness, and Extraversion. The interrater reliabilities and test-retest reliabilities for these factors were comparable to those found in humans and other species. Using orthogonal targeted Procrustes rotations, we compared the bonobo dimensions with those of three samples of captive chimpanzees. Overall congruence coefficients indicated a fair degree of similarity; at the factor level, there was good evidence for Assertiveness, Conscientiousness, Openness, and Agreeableness in the chimpanzee samples; evidence for Attentiveness and Extraversion was poor. These findings suggest that, as expected given their close phylogenetic relationship, bonobo personality structure resembles chimpanzee personality structure in some respects. However, divergent evolution, perhaps as a result of socioecological differences between bonobos and chimpanzees, also appears to have shaped personality structure in these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Weiss
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh Scottish Primate Research Group
| | - Nicky Staes
- Ethology Research Group, Department of Biology, The University of Antwerp Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp
| | | | | | - Jeroen M G Stevens
- Ethology Research Group, Department of Biology, The University of Antwerp Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp
| | - Marcel Eens
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp
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26
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Úbeda Y, Llorente M. Personality in sanctuary-housed chimpanzees: A comparative approach of psychobiological and penta-factorial human models. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2015; 13:182-96. [PMID: 25692710 PMCID: PMC10480968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 10/12/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We evaluate a sanctuary chimpanzee sample (N = 11) using two adapted human assessment instruments: the Five-Factor Model (FFM) and Eysenck's Psychoticism-Extraversion-Neuroticism (PEN) model. The former has been widely used in studies of animal personality, whereas the latter has never been used to assess chimpanzees. We asked familiar keepers and scientists (N = 28) to rate 38 (FFM) and 12 (PEN) personality items. The personality surveys showed reliability in all of the items for both instruments. These were then analyzed in a principal component analysis and a regularized exploratory factor analysis, which revealed four and three components, respectively. The results indicate that both questionnaires show a clear factor structure, with characteristic factors not just for the species, but also for the sample type. However, due to its brevity, the PEN may be more suitable for assessing personality in a sanctuary, where employees do not have much time to devote to the evaluation process. In summary, both models are sensitive enough to evaluate the personality of a group of chimpanzees housed in a sanctuary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulán Úbeda
- Unitat de Recerca i Etologia, Fundació Mona, Riudellots de la Selva (Girona), Spain; Facultat d'Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Unitat de Recerca i Etologia, Fundació Mona, Riudellots de la Selva (Girona), Spain; IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Tarragona, Spain
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27
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Úbeda Y, Llorente M. Personality in Sanctuary-Housed Chimpanzees: A Comparative Approach of Psychobiological and Penta-Factorial Human Models. Evol Psychol 2015. [DOI: 10.1177/147470491501300111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
We evaluate a sanctuary chimpanzee sample ( N = 11) using two adapted human assessment instruments: the Five-Factor Model (FFM) and Eysenck's Psychoticism-Extraversion-Neuroticism (PEN) model. The former has been widely used in studies of animal personality, whereas the latter has never been used to assess chimpanzees. We asked familiar keepers and scientists ( N = 28) to rate 38 (FFM) and 12 (PEN) personality items. The personality surveys showed reliability in all of the items for both instruments. These were then analyzed in a principal component analysis and a regularized exploratory factor analysis, which revealed four and three components, respectively. The results indicate that both questionnaires show a clear factor structure, with characteristic factors not just for the species, but also for the sample type. However, due to its brevity, the PEN may be more suitable for assessing personality in a sanctuary, where employees do not have much time to devote to the evaluation process. In summary, both models are sensitive enough to evaluate the personality of a group of chimpanzees housed in a sanctuary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulán Úbeda
- Unitat de Recerca i Etologia, Fundació Mona, Riudellots de la Selva (Girona), Spain; Facultat d'Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Unitat de Recerca i Etologia, Fundació Mona, Riudellots de la Selva (Girona), Spain; IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Tarragona, Spain
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28
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Latzman RD, Hopkins WD, Keebaugh AC, Young LJ. Personality in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): exploring the hierarchical structure and associations with the vasopressin V1A receptor gene. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95741. [PMID: 24752497 PMCID: PMC3994157 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 03/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major contributions of recent personality psychology is the finding that traits are related to each other in an organized hierarchy. To date, however, researchers have yet to investigate this hierarchy in nonhuman primates. Such investigations are critical in confirming the cross-species nature of trait personality helping to illuminate personality as neurobiologically-based and evolutionarily-derived dimensions of primate disposition. Investigations of potential genetic polymorphisms associated with hierarchical models of personality among nonhuman primates represent a critical first step. The current study examined the hierarchical structure of chimpanzee personality as well as sex-specific associations with a polymorphism in the promoter region of the vasopressin V1a receptor gene (AVPR1A), a gene associated with dispositional traits, among 174 chimpanzees. Results confirmed a hierarchical structure of personality across species and, despite differences in early rearing experiences, suggest a sexually dimorphic role of AVPR1A polymorphisms on hierarchical personality profiles at a higher-order level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D. Latzman
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Alaine C. Keebaugh
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center & Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Larry J. Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center & Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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29
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Sussman AF, Mates EA, Ha JC, Bentson KL, Crockett CM. Tenure in current captive setting and age predict personality changes in adult pigtailed macaques. Anim Behav 2014; 89:23-30. [PMID: 24567658 PMCID: PMC3931450 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Personality change in nonhuman primates is a topic that warrants more research attention. Many studies focus on intraindividual repeatability, but few note population-wide trends in personality change. In part, this results from the large sample size that is required to detect such trends. In the present study, we measured personality in a large sample (N = 293) of adult, mother-reared pigtailed macaques, Macaca nemestrinam, over a period of 3 years. We looked at four personality components (sociability towards humans, cautiousness, aggressiveness and fearfulness) derived from behavioural observations at two to four time points per subject. We found these components to have repeatabilities similar to those reported elsewhere in the literature. We then analysed population-wide changes in personality components over time using a linear mixed effects model with three predictors: entry age at the current primate facility, tenure at the primate facility at the time of the first personality test and time elapsed since the first personality test. We found that adult personality changed with life experiences (here, tenure at the facility where tested) and age. Throughout adulthood, pigtailed macaques became less cautious and more aggressive. At the same time, subjects became less cautious and more sociable with increasing time in individual caging at the current primate research facility. We also found that individuals differed significantly in their personality consistency. Other researchers may benefit by applying similar methodology to that described here as they extrapolate about personality measures over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne F. Sussman
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, U.S.A
- Washington National Primate Research Center, Seattle, WA, U.S.A
| | - Exu A. Mates
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, U.S.A
| | - James C. Ha
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, U.S.A
- Washington National Primate Research Center, Seattle, WA, U.S.A
| | - Kathy L. Bentson
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, U.S.A
- Washington National Primate Research Center, Seattle, WA, U.S.A
| | - Carolyn M. Crockett
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, U.S.A
- Washington National Primate Research Center, Seattle, WA, U.S.A
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30
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AVPR1A Variation in Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Population Differences and Association with Behavioral Style. INT J PRIMATOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9747-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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31
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Haage M, Bergvall UA, Maran T, Kiik K, Angerbjörn A. Situation and context impacts the expression of personality: the influence of breeding season and test context. Behav Processes 2013; 100:103-9. [PMID: 23988476 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2013.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2012] [Revised: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 08/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Non-human animal personality is defined as consistent behavioural differences across time and situations/contexts. Behaviours are, however, often plastic and to explain how plasticity and personality may coexist an adaptive framework has been developed. Still, there is little information on how personality is impacted by situations and contexts on an individual level. We investigated this in the European mink (Mustela lutreola) by performing a set of five experiments in two situations consisting of non-breeding and breeding season, and by using different test contexts. Three personality trait domains were identified; boldness, exploration and sociability. The levels of boldness and exploration changed between seasons but remained repeatable, which implies behavioural reaction norms and supports that the concept of personality remained applicable despite plasticity. Whilst males became bolder and more explorative in the breeding season females became shyer, which reflects European mink breeding behaviour. Furthermore, behaviours performed in mirror stimulus tests fell into different domains depending on whether, the test was conducted in the own territory or not, suggesting plasticity in the response towards conspecifics. To conclude, our results highlight the importance of situation and context for the expression of personality, and the significance of measuring multiple personality trait domains with several methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Haage
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Morton FB, Lee PC, Buchanan-Smith HM, Brosnan SF, Thierry B, Paukner A, de Waal FBM, Widness J, Essler JL, Weiss A. Personality structure in brown capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella): comparisons with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo spp.), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). J Comp Psychol 2013; 127:282-98. [PMID: 23668695 PMCID: PMC3744614 DOI: 10.1037/a0031723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Species comparisons of personality structure (i.e., how many personality dimensions and the characteristics of those dimensions) can facilitate questions about the adaptive function of personality in nonhuman primates. Here we investigate personality structure in the brown capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella), a New World primate species, and compare this structure to those of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo spp.), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Brown capuchins evolved behavioral and cognitive traits that are qualitatively similar to those of great apes, and individual differences in behavior and cognition often reflect differences in personality. Thus, we hypothesized that brown capuchin personality structure would overlap more with great apes than with rhesus macaques. We obtained personality ratings from seven sites, including 127 brown capuchin monkeys. Principal-components analysis identified five personality dimensions (Assertiveness, Openness, Neuroticism, Sociability, and Attentiveness), which were reliable across raters and, in a subset of subjects, significantly correlated with relevant behaviors up to a year later. Comparisons between species revealed that brown capuchins and great apes overlapped in personality structure, particularly chimpanzees in the case of Neuroticism. However, in some respects (i.e., capuchin Sociability and Openness) the similarities between capuchins and great apes were not significantly greater than those between capuchins and rhesus macaques. We discuss the relevance of our results to brown capuchin behavior and the evolution of personality structure in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Blake Morton
- Behaviour and Evolution Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom.
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Freeman HD, Brosnan SF, Hopper LM, Lambeth SP, Schapiro SJ, Gosling SD. Developing a comprehensive and comparative questionnaire for measuring personality in chimpanzees using a simultaneous top-down/bottom-up design. Am J Primatol 2013; 75:1042-53. [PMID: 23733359 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2012] [Revised: 04/25/2013] [Accepted: 05/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
One effective method for measuring personality in primates is to use personality trait ratings to distill the experience of people familiar with the individual animals. Previous rating instruments were created using either top-down or bottom-up approaches. Top-down approaches, which essentially adapt instruments originally designed for use with another species, can unfortunately lead to the inclusion of traits irrelevant to chimpanzees or fail to include all relevant aspects of chimpanzee personality. Conversely, because bottom-up approaches derive traits specifically for chimpanzees, their unique items may impede comparisons with findings in other studies and other species. To address the limitations of each approach, we developed a new personality rating scale using a combined top-down/bottom-up design. Seventeen raters rated 99 chimpanzees on the new 41-item scale, with all but one item being rated reliably. Principal components analysis, using both varimax and direct oblimin rotations, identified six broad factors. Strong evidence was found for five of the factors (Reactivity/Undependability, Dominance, Openness, Extraversion, and Agreeableness). A sixth factor (Methodical) was offered provisionally until more data are collected. We validated the factors against behavioral data collected independently on the chimpanzees. The five factors demonstrated good evidence for convergent and predictive validity, thereby underscoring the robustness of the factors. Our combined top-down/bottom-up approach provides the most extensive data to date to support the universal existence of these five personality factors in chimpanzees. This framework, which facilitates cross-species comparisons, can also play a vital role in understanding the evolution of personality and can assist with husbandry and welfare efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hani D Freeman
- Lester E. Fisher Center, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
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Massen JJM, Antonides A, Arnold AMK, Bionda T, Koski SE. A behavioral view on chimpanzee personality: exploration tendency, persistence, boldness, and tool-orientation measured with group experiments. Am J Primatol 2013; 75:947-58. [PMID: 23649750 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2012] [Revised: 03/25/2013] [Accepted: 04/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Human and nonhuman animals show personality: temporal and contextual consistency in behavior patterns that vary among individuals. In contrast to most other species, personality of chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, has mainly been studied with non-behavioral methods. We examined boldness, exploration tendency, persistence and tool-orientation in 29 captive chimpanzees using repeated experiments conducted in an ecologically valid social setting. High temporal repeatability and contextual consistency in all these traits indicated they reflected personality. In addition, Principal Component Analysis revealed two independent syndromes, labeled exploration-persistence and boldness. We found no sex or rank differences in the trait scores, but the scores declined with age. Nonetheless, there was considerable inter-individual variation within age-classes, suggesting that behavior was not merely determined by age but also by dispositional effects. In conclusion, our study complements earlier rating studies and adds new traits to the chimpanzee personality, thereby supporting the existence of multiple personality traits among chimpanzees. We stress the importance of ecologically valid behavioral research to assess multiple personality traits and their association, as it allows inclusion of ape studies in the comparison of personality structures across species studied behaviorally, and furthers our attempts to unravel the causes and consequences of animal personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorg J M Massen
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Hwang J, Park T, Hwang W. The effects of overall robot shape on the emotions invoked in users and the perceived personalities of robot. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2013; 44:459-471. [PMID: 23157974 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2012.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2012] [Revised: 09/07/2012] [Accepted: 10/16/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The affective interaction between human and robots could be influenced by various aspects of robots, which are appearance, countenance, gesture, voice, etc. Among these, the overall shape of robot could play a key role in invoking desired emotions to the users and bestowing preferred personalities to robots. In this regard, the present study experimentally investigates the effects of overall robot shape on the emotions invoked in users and the perceived personalities of robot with an objective of deriving guidelines for the affective design of service robots. In so doing, 27 different shapes of robot were selected, modeled and fabricated, which were combinations of three different shapes of head, trunk and limb (legs and arms) - rectangular-parallelepiped, cylindrical and human-like shapes. For the experiment, visual images and real prototypes of these robot shapes were presented to participants, and emotions invoked and personalities perceived from the presented robots were measured. The results showed that the overall shape of robot arouses any of three emotions named 'concerned', 'enjoyable' and 'favorable', among which 'concerned' emotion is negatively correlated with the 'big five personality factors' while 'enjoyable' and 'favorable' emotions are positively correlated. It was found that the 'big five personality factors', and 'enjoyable' and 'favorable' emotions are more strongly perceived through the real prototypes than through the visual images. It was also found that the robot shape consisting of cylindrical head, human-like trunk and cylindrical head is the best for 'conscientious' personality and 'favorable' emotion, the robot shape consisting of cylindrical head, human-like trunk and human-like limb for 'extroverted' personality, the robot shape consisting of cylindrical head, cylindrical trunk and cylindrical limb for 'anti-neurotic' personality, and the robot shape consisting of rectangular-parallelepiped head, human-like trunk and human-like limb for 'enjoyable' emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihong Hwang
- Department of Mechanical System Design Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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36
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Mata R, Wilke A, Czienskowski U. Foraging across the life span: is there a reduction in exploration with aging? Front Neurosci 2013; 7:53. [PMID: 23616741 PMCID: PMC3627975 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2013.00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2012] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Does foraging change across the life span, and in particular, with aging? We report data from two foraging tasks used to investigate age differences in search in external environments as well as internal search in memory. Overall, the evidence suggests that foraging behavior may undergo significant changes across the life span across internal and external search. In particular, we find evidence of a trend toward reduced exploration with increased age. We discuss these findings in light of theories that postulate a link between aging and reductions in novelty seeking and exploratory behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Mata
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development Berlin, Germany
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Grand AP, Kuhar CW, Leighty KA, Bettinger TL, Laudenslager ML. Using personality ratings and cortisol to characterize individual differences in African Elephants (Loxodonta africana). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2012.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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39
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SCHEL ANNEMARIJKE, RAWLINGS BRUCE, CLAIDIÈRE NICOLAS, WILKE CLAUDIA, WATHAN JEN, RICHARDSON JO, PEARSON SOPHIE, S. HERRELKO ELIZABETH, WHITEN ANDREW, SLOCOMBE KATIE. Network Analysis of Social Changes in a Captive Chimpanzee Community Following the Successful Integration of Two Adult Groups. Am J Primatol 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - BRUCE RAWLINGS
- Department of Psychology; University of York; York; United Kingdom
| | - NICOLAS CLAIDIÈRE
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology; University of St Andrews; St Andrews; United Kingdom
| | - CLAUDIA WILKE
- Department of Psychology; University of York; York; United Kingdom
| | - JEN WATHAN
- Department of Psychology; University of York; York; United Kingdom
| | - JO RICHARDSON
- Royal Zoological Society of Scotland; Edinburgh Zoo; Edinburgh; United Kingdom
| | - SOPHIE PEARSON
- Royal Zoological Society of Scotland; Edinburgh Zoo; Edinburgh; United Kingdom
| | | | - ANDREW WHITEN
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology; University of St Andrews; St Andrews; United Kingdom
| | - KATIE SLOCOMBE
- Department of Psychology; University of York; York; United Kingdom
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40
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Konečná M, Weiss A, Lhota S, Wallner B. Personality in Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus): Temporal stability and social rank. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2012.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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41
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Juvenile exposure to acoustic sexual signals from conspecifics alters growth trajectory and an adult personality trait. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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42
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Yasui S, Konno A, Tanaka M, Idani G, Ludwig A, Lieckfeldt D, Inoue-Murayama M. Personality assessment and its association with genetic factors in captive Asian and African elephants. Zoo Biol 2012; 32:70-8. [PMID: 22996044 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2011] [Revised: 08/01/2012] [Accepted: 08/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Elephants live in a complex society based on matrilineal groups. Management of captive elephants is difficult, partly because each elephant has a unique personality. For a better understanding of elephant well being in captivity, it would be helpful to systematically evaluate elephants' personalities and their underlying biological basis. We sent elephant' personality questionnaires to keepers of 75 elephants. We also used 196 elephant DNA samples to search for genetic polymorphisms in genes expressed in the brain that have been suggested to be related to personality traits. Three genes, androgen receptor (AR), fragile X related mental retardation protein interacting protein (NUFIP2), and acheate-scute homologs 1 (ASH1) contained polymorphic regions. We examined the association of personality with intraspecific genetic variation in 17 Asian and 28 African elephants. The results suggest that the ASH1 genotype was associated with neuroticism in Asian elephants. Subjects with short alleles had lower scores of neuroticism than those with long alleles. This is the first report of an association between a genetic polymorphism and personality in elephants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saki Yasui
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
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43
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Kramer RSS, Ward R. Cues to personality and health in the facial appearance of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2012; 10:320-37. [PMID: 22947641 PMCID: PMC10481057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2011] [Accepted: 04/02/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans (Homo sapiens) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) can extract socially-relevant information from the static, non-expressive faces of conspecifics. In humans, the face is a valid signal of both personality and health. Recent evidence shows that, like humans, chimpanzee faces also contain personality information, and that humans can accurately judge aspects of chimpanzee personality relating to extraversion from the face alone (Kramer, King, and Ward, 2011). These findings suggest the hypothesis that humans and chimpanzees share a system of personality and facial morphology for signaling socially-relevant traits from the face. We sought to test this hypothesis using a new group of chimpanzees. In two studies, we found that chimpanzee faces contained health information, as well as information of characteristics relating to extraversion, emotional stability, and agreeableness, using average judgments from pairs of individual photographs. In a third study, information relating to extraversion and health was also present in composite images of individual chimpanzees. We therefore replicate and extend previous findings using a new group of chimpanzees and demonstrate two methods for minimizing the variability associated with individual photographs. Our findings support the hypothesis that chimpanzees and humans share a personality signaling system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Ward
- School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales
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44
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45
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Hopkins WD, Donaldson ZR, Young LJ. A polymorphic indel containing the RS3 microsatellite in the 5' flanking region of the vasopressin V1a receptor gene is associated with chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) personality. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2012; 11:552-8. [PMID: 22520444 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2012.00799.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Vasopressin is a neuropeptide that has been strongly implicated in the development and evolution of complex social relations and cognition in mammals. Recent studies in voles have shown that polymorphic variation in the promoter region of the arginine vasopressin V1a receptor gene (avpr1a) is associated with different dimensions of sociality. In humans, variation in a repetitive sequence element in the 5' flanking region of the AVPR1A, known as RS3, have also been associated with variation in AVPR1a gene expression, brain activity and social behavior. Here, we examined the association of polymorphic variation in this same 5' flanking region of the AVPR1A on subjective ratings of personality in a sample of 83 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Initial analyses indicated that 34 females and 19 males were homozygous for the short allele, which lacks RS3 (DupB(-/-)), while 18 females and 12 males were heterozygous and thus had one copy of the long allele containing RS3 (DupB(+/-)), yielding overall allelic frequencies of 0.82 for the DupB(-) allele and 0.18 for the DupB(+) allele. DupB(+/+) chimpanzees were excluded from the analysis because of the limited number of individuals. Results indicated no significant sex difference in personality between chimpanzees homozygous for the deletion of the RS3-containing DupB region (DupB(-/-)); however, among chimpanzees carrying one allele with the DupB present (DupB(+/-)), males had significantly higher dominance and lower conscientiousness scores than females. These findings are the first evidence showing that the AVPR1A gene plays a role in different aspects of personality in male and female chimpanzees.
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Affiliation(s)
- W D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, 30302, USA.
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46
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Kramer RSS, Ward R. Cues to Personality and Health in the Facial Appearance of Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes). EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.1177/147470491201000210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans ( Homo sapiens) and chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes) can extract socially-relevant information from the static, non-expressive faces of conspecifics. In humans, the face is a valid signal of both personality and health. Recent evidence shows that, like humans, chimpanzee faces also contain personality information, and that humans can accurately judge aspects of chimpanzee personality relating to extraversion from the face alone (Kramer, King, and Ward, 2011). These findings suggest the hypothesis that humans and chimpanzees share a system of personality and facial morphology for signaling socially-relevant traits from the face. We sought to test this hypothesis using a new group of chimpanzees. In two studies, we found that chimpanzee faces contained health information, as well as information of characteristics relating to extraversion, emotional stability, and agreeableness, using average judgments from pairs of individual photographs. In a third study, information relating to extraversion and health was also present in composite images of individual chimpanzees. We therefore replicate and extend previous findings using a new group of chimpanzees and demonstrate two methods for minimizing the variability associated with individual photographs. Our findings support the hypothesis that chimpanzees and humans share a personality signaling system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Ward
- School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales
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47
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Adams MJ, King JE, Weiss A. The majority of genetic variation in orangutan personality and subjective well-being is nonadditive. Behav Genet 2012; 42:675-86. [PMID: 22460560 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-012-9537-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2011] [Accepted: 03/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The heritability of human personality is well-established. Recent research indicates that nonadditive genetic effects, such as dominance and epistasis, play a large role in personality variation. One possible explanation for the latter finding is that there has been recent selection on human personality. To test this possibility, we estimated additive and nonadditive genetic variance in personality and subjective well-being of zoo-housed orangutans. More than half of the genetic variance in these traits could be attributed to nonadditive genetic effects, modeled as dominance. Subjective well-being had genetic overlap with personality, though less so than has been found in humans or chimpanzees. Since a large portion of nonadditive genetic variance in personality is not unique to humans, the nonadditivity of human personality is not sufficient evidence for recent selection of personality in humans. Nonadditive genetic variance may be a general feature of the genetic structure of personality in primates and other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark James Adams
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK.
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Kutsukake N, Teramoto M, Homma S, Mori Y, Matsudaira K, Kobayashi H, Ishida T, Okanoya K, Hasegawa T. Individual Variation in Behavioural Reactions to Unfamiliar Conspecific Vocalisation and Hormonal Underpinnings in Male Chimpanzees. Ethology 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.02009.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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49
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Carter AJ, Marshall HH, Heinsohn R, Cowlishaw G. Evaluating animal personalities: do observer assessments and experimental tests measure the same thing? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1263-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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50
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Hong KW, Weiss A, Morimura N, Udono T, Hayasaka I, Humle T, Murayama Y, Ito S, Inoue-Murayama M. Polymorphism of the tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) gene is associated with chimpanzee neuroticism. PLoS One 2011; 6:e22144. [PMID: 21765945 PMCID: PMC3135609 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2011] [Accepted: 06/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the brain, serotonin production is controlled by tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), a genotype. Previous studies found that mutations on the TPH2 locus in humans were associated with depression and studies of mice and studies of rhesus macaques have shown that the TPH2 locus was involved with aggressive behavior. We previously reported a functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the form of an amino acid substitution, Q468R, in the chimpanzee TPH2 gene coding region. In the present study we tested whether this SNP was associated with neuroticism in captive and wild-born chimpanzees living in Japan and Guinea, respectively. Even after correcting for multiple tests (Bonferroni p = 0.05/6 = 0.008), Q468R was significantly related to higher neuroticism (β = 0.372, p = 0.005). This study is the first to identify a genotype linked to a personality trait in chimpanzees. In light of the prior studies on humans, mice, and rhesus macaques, these findings suggest that the relationship between neuroticism and TPH2 has deep phylogenetic roots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Won Hong
- The United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Alexander Weiss
- Scottish Primate Research Group, Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Toshifumi Udono
- The Chimpanzee Sanctuary Uto, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho co., Ltd., Uto, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Ikuo Hayasaka
- The Chimpanzee Sanctuary Uto, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho co., Ltd., Uto, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Tatyana Humle
- School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent. Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
| | | | - Shin'ichi Ito
- Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
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