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De Vittoris S, Caselli M, Demuru E, Gillespie L, Norscia I. Beware! Different methods lead to divergent results on yawn contagion modulation in bonobos. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23671. [PMID: 39148223 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23671] [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] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Contagious yawning (CY)-linked to physiological synchronization and possibly emotional contagion-occurs when one individual's yawn induces yawning in others. CY was investigated over different time windows (minutes from the triggering stimulus) via naturalistic or experimental studies (using real and video yawns, respectively) with contrasting results, especially in bonobos. We verified whether in bonobos result divergences may derive from different methods. We gathered yawning data on 13 bonobos at Twycross Zoo (UK) via a naturalistic (all-occurrences observations) and experimental approach (by showing yawn/control video stimuli). Based on literature, we used 1- and 3-min windows to detect CY. Due to fission-fusion management, individuals could form permanent or non-permanent associations (more/less familiar subjects under naturalistic setting). Video yawn stimuli may come from group mates/stranger models (more/less familiar subjects under the experimental setting). Stimulus type and time window affected CY modulating factors but not CY detection. Familiarity and age effect on CY showed opposite trends in 3-min trials and 1-min observations. CY was highest in oldest, non-permanently (rather than permanently) associated subjects in the naturalistic setting, but in the youngest subjects and with ingroup (rather than outgroup) models in trials. The age effect differences on CY might be due to decontextualized yawns and immature subject curiosity toward videos. The reversed familiarity effect suggests CY's context-dependent function in promoting social synchronization with socially distant group mates, as failing to coordinate as a group may lead to social disruption. Complementary methods are needed to fully understand motor replication phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara De Vittoris
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Marta Caselli
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Elisa Demuru
- Laboratoire Dynamique Du Langage, Université de Lyon, CNRS-UMR5596, Lyon, France
- ENES Bioacoustics Research Laboratory, University of Saint-Etienne, CRNL, CNRS UMR 5292, Inserm UMR_S, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Lisa Gillespie
- Life Sciences Department, Twycross Zoo, Twycross Zoo-East Midland Zoological Society, Atherstone, UK
| | - Ivan Norscia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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2
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Norscia I, Hecker M, Aldama BG, Santos SB, Cordoni G. Play contagion in African elephants: The closest, the better. Behav Processes 2024; 221:105092. [PMID: 39209084 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Behavioural contagion is an automatic process through which a behaviour performed by an individual (trigger) is reproduced by an observer (responder) without necessarily replicating the exact motor sequence. It has been linked to inter-individual synchronisation and possibly emotional contagion. Play can convey emotions and enhance social bonding, although its contagiousness is understudied. To verify social play contagion presence and modulating factors, we gathered audio-video data on social play, distance and affiliation on a group of savannah African elephants (15 individuals) at Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabarceno (Cantabria, Spain). Social play was contagious as it was more likely started by uninvolved elephants (within 3-min) in Post-Play Condition (PP) - after that other elephants had started playing - than in Matched-control Condition (MC; no previous play). Social play contagion mostly occurred within 30 m - probably due to elephants' limited visual acuity - and it was highest between individuals that affiliated the most, with the distance-affiliation interaction having no effect. The most prominent individuals in the social play network were also the most influential in the play contagion network (Eigenvector-centrality measure). Play contagion was socially modulated, thus suggesting it may extend from motor replication to the replication of the underlying affective state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Norscia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Italy.
| | - Martin Hecker
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Italy
| | | | | | - Giada Cordoni
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Italy.
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Brooker JS, Webb CE, de Waal FBM, Clay Z. The expression of empathy in human's closest relatives, bonobos and chimpanzees: current and future directions. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1556-1575. [PMID: 38597291 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13080] [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] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Empathy is a complex, multi-dimensional capacity that facilitates the sharing and understanding of others' emotions. As our closest living relatives, bonobos (Pan paniscus) and chimpanzees (P. troglodytes) provide an opportunity to explore the origins of hominin social cognition, including empathy. Despite certain assumptions that bonobos and chimpanzees may differ empathically, these species appear to overlap considerably in certain socio-emotional responses related to empathy. However, few studies have systematically tested for species variation in Pan empathic or socio-emotional tendencies. To address this, we synthesise the growing literature on Pan empathy to inform our understanding of the selection pressures that may underlie the evolution of hominin empathy, and its expression in our last common ancestor. As bonobos and chimpanzees show overlaps in their expression of complex socio-emotional phenomena such as empathy, we propose that group comparisons may be as or more meaningful than species comparisons when it comes to understanding the evolutionary pressures for such behaviour. Furthermore, key differences, such as how humans and Pan communicate, appear to distinguish how we experience empathy compared to our closest living relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake S Brooker
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Christine E Webb
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Frans B M de Waal
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Zanna Clay
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
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Valdivieso-Cortadella S, Bernardi-Gómez C, Aureli F, Llorente M, Amici F. Yawning and scratching contagion in wild spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Sci Rep 2023; 13:8367. [PMID: 37225745 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35693-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioural contagion is a widespread phenomenon in animal species, which is thought to promote coordination and group cohesion. Among non-human primates, however, there is no evidence of behavioural contagion in Platyrrhines (i.e. primates from South and Central America) yet. Here, we investigated whether behavioural contagion is also present in this taxon, by assessing yawning and scratching contagion in a wild group (N = 49) of Geoffroy's spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). We conducted focal samples to examine whether individuals observing the triggering event (i.e. a naturally occurring yawning or scratching event in the group) would be more likely to yawn or scratch in the following 3 min, as compared to individuals who did not observe the triggering event. We ran generalized linear mixed models using a Bayesian approach, and found that the probability of yawning and scratching was higher for individuals observing others yawning and scratching, respectively, as compared to individuals who did not observe such an event. Behavioural contagion did not vary depending on the observer's sex, kinship or relationship quality with the individual performing the triggering event. These findings provide the first evidence for yawning and scratching contagion in a wild group of spider monkeys, and importantly contribute to the debate about the evolutionary origins of behavioural contagion in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Filippo Aureli
- Instituto de Neuroetologia, Universidad Veracruzana, 91190, Xalapa-Enríquez, Mexico
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L1 2SF, UK
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Universitat de Girona, Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, 17003, Girona, Spain
- Departament de Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, 17004, Girona, Spain
| | - Federica Amici
- Institute of Biology, Human Biology and Primate Cognition Group, University of Leipzig, 04109, Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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Contagious yawning in African painted dogs. Anim Cogn 2023:10.1007/s10071-023-01766-1. [PMID: 36928685 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01766-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Contagious yawning (CY), which is yawning elicited by sensing another yawning, has been observed only in social species and is considered linked to high sociality. Although this idea-the social communication hypothesis-is supported by previous studies, investigating the occurrence of CY in various species remains necessary. We investigated the occurrence of CY in one of the most social canine species, the African painted dog (Lycaon pictus). We recorded 1387 yawn events from five pairs (10 individuals) in captivity. Temporal analysis showed that subsequent yawns occurred frequently within 15 s or 30 s after spontaneous yawns (SYs). SYs that were detectable by another individual (i.e., visible to the other individual or performed in close proximity) were more likely to elicit subsequent yawns by the other individual. However, the influence of contextual factors on CY differed according to the time window, implying that a conservative time window should be used to reduce overcounting of CY and misattribution of its determinants. The proportion of CY was positively related to time spent in physical proximity to another, a proxy for a social bond. Overall, our results provide the first evidence of CY in African painted dogs and further support the notion that such behavior is prevalent among social animals. They also strongly imply that an appropriate time window should be used to define yawn contagion.
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Caselli M, Russo E, Guéry JP, Demuru E, Norscia I. More Than Just Kibbles: Keeper Familiarity and Food Can Affect Bonobo Behavior. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030410. [PMID: 36766299 PMCID: PMC9913499 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The welfare of captive animals relies on numerous factors. Keepers can affect animals' welfare and this could especially apply to emotionally and cognitively complex species, such as great apes. We collected video data over three months on 17 bonobos (La Vallée des Singes, France) and extracted five behaviours (play, aggression, anxiety, gestures, sociosexual interactions) -during two-minute slots-under three conditions: keeper-present/food-unavailable; keeper-present/food-available; keeper-absent/food-unavailable. We ran generalized linear models to investigate whether behavioral frequencies were affected by food presence/quality and keeper familiarity. Anxiety-related behaviors increased when the keeper was present and in absence of food, due to food expectation. Sociosexual interactions increased in presence of more familiar keepers and in absence of food, maybe to decrease the tension around food. Gestures increased in presence of more familiar keepers and with low-quality food, which was provided in large 'catchable' pieces. Aggression levels increased with high-quality food with no effect of keeper. Play behavior was not affected by any variable. Hence, bonobos were affected not just by food but also by keeper features. Considering multiple variables in the 'welfare equation' can improve captive management and increase the well-being of bonobos, a species that is much closer to humans than to other non-human animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Caselli
- Department of Life Science and System Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Emilio Russo
- Department of Life Science and System Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | | | - Elisa Demuru
- Laboratoire Dynamique du Langage, CNRS-UMR 5596, Université de Lyon, 14 Avenue Berthelot, 69363 Lyon, France
- ENES Bioacoustics Research Lab, CRNL, CNRS-UMR 5292, InsermUMR_S1028, Université de Saint-Etienne, 21, rue du Dr. Paul Michelon, 42100 Saint-Etienne, France
- Correspondence: (E.D.); (I.N.); Tel.: +33-0472-726546 (E.D.); +39-011-670-4547 (I.N.)
| | - Ivan Norscia
- Department of Life Science and System Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
- Correspondence: (E.D.); (I.N.); Tel.: +33-0472-726546 (E.D.); +39-011-670-4547 (I.N.)
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First evidence of contagious yawning in a wild lemur. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03284-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Demuru E, Caselli M, Guéry JP, Michelet C, Alexieff F, Norscia I. Female bonobos show social swelling by synchronizing their maximum swelling and increasing bonding. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17676. [PMID: 36271108 PMCID: PMC9587055 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22325-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Different Old World primates show conspicuous anogenital swelling, with the Maximum Swelling Phase (MSP) signaling the ovulatory phase. MSP synchronization between females has been linked to social dynamics. In bonobos, characterized by female dominance, MSP is not a fully reliable signal of fertility because it may cover anovulatory periods. We investigated whether bonobo females synchronized their MSP and whether this phenomenon was modulated by social factors. Data were collected at La Vallée des Singes (France). In the period 2009-2022, swelling cycles data were collected daily on bonobo females (N = 9). In the period 2018-2022, ethological data (aggression/affiliation/socio-sexual behaviors) were also collected. We found that: (i) females synchronized their MSP and most likely experienced MSP onset following the MSP onset in other females; (ii) synchronization increased as the years spent together by females increased; (iii) synchronization preferentially occurred between females that affiliated less; (iv) synchronization on the MSP was linked to increased female-female socio-sexual contacts, which probably favored MSP synchronization maintenance. Hence, in bonobos MSP can be modulated by social factors and its synchronization, possibly underlying autonomic contagion, might have been positively selected during evolution in relation to the benefits females obtain in terms of intra-group cohesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Demuru
- grid.9659.30000 0001 2192 0883Laboratoire Dynamique du Langage, CNRS, Université de Lyon II, Lyon, France ,grid.6279.a0000 0001 2158 1682ENES Bioacoustics Research Lab, CRNL, CNRS, Inserm, Université de Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Marta Caselli
- grid.7605.40000 0001 2336 6580Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Ivan Norscia
- grid.7605.40000 0001 2336 6580Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
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Brooks J, Yamamoto S. The evolution of group-mindedness: comparative research on top-down and bottom-up group cooperation in bonobos and chimpanzees. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Demuru E, Clay Z, Norscia I. What makes us apes? The emotional building blocks of intersubjectivity in hominids. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2022.2044390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Demuru
- Laboratoire Dynamique du Langage, CNRS UMR 5596, University of Lyon 2, Lyon, France
- Équipe de Neuro-éthologie Sensorielle, ENES/CRNL, CNRS UMR 5292, Inserm UMR S 1028, University of Lyon/Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne, France
| | - Zanna Clay
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Ivan Norscia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, 10123, Italy
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