1
|
Villa-Larenas F, Llorente M, Liebal K, Amici F. Gestural communication in wild spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Anim Cogn 2024; 27:18. [PMID: 38429467 PMCID: PMC10907450 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01854-w] [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: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Gestures play a central role in the communication systems of several animal families, including primates. In this study, we provide a first assessment of the gestural systems of a Platyrrhine species, Geoffroy's spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). We observed a wild group of 52 spider monkeys and assessed the distribution of visual and tactile gestures in the group, the size of individual repertoires and the intentionality and effectiveness of individuals' gestural production. Our results showed that younger spider monkeys were more likely than older ones to use tactile gestures. In contrast, we found no inter-individual differences in the probability of producing visual gestures. Repertoire size did not vary with age, but the probability of accounting for recipients' attentional state was higher for older monkeys than for younger ones, especially for gestures in the visual modality. Using vocalizations right before the gesture increased the probability of gesturing towards attentive recipients and of receiving a response, although age had no effect on the probability of gestures being responded. Overall, our study provides first evidence of gestural production in a Platyrrhine species, and confirms this taxon as a valid candidate for research on animal communication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Fundació UdG: Innovació I Formació, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Departament de Psicologia, Facultat d'Educació I Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Katja Liebal
- Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Science, Leipzig University, Talstraße 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Federica Amici
- Human Biology and Primate Cognition, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Science, Leipzig University, Talstraße 33, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wilke C, Lahiff N, Badihi G, Donnellan E, Hobaiter C, Machanda Z, Mundry R, Pika S, Soldati A, Wrangham R, Zuberbűhler K, Slocombe K. Referential gestures are not ubiquitous in wild chimpanzees: alternative functions for exaggerated loud scratch gestures. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
3
|
Aychet J, Monchy N, Blois-Heulin C, Lemasson A. Context-Dependent Gestural Laterality: A Multifactorial Analysis in Captive Red-Capped Mangabeys. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:186. [PMID: 35049807 PMCID: PMC8772743 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Catarrhine primates gesture preferentially with their right hands, which led to the hypothesis of a gestural origin of human left-hemispheric specialization for language. However, the factors influencing this gestural laterality remain understudied in non-hominoid species, particularly in intraspecific contexts, although it may bring valuable insights into the proximate and ultimate causes of language lateralization. We present here a preliminary investigation of intraspecific gestural laterality in catarrhine monkeys, red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus). We described the spontaneous production of brachio-manual intentional gestures in twenty-five captive subjects. Although we did not evidence any significant gestural lateralization neither at the individual- nor population-level, we found that mangabeys preferentially use their right hands to gesture in negative social contexts, such as aggressions, suggesting an effect of emotional lateralization, and that they adapt to the position of their receiver by preferentially using their ipsilateral hand to communicate. These results corroborate previous findings from ape studies. By contrast, factors related to gesture form and socio-demographic characteristics of signaler and receiver did not affect gestural laterality. To understand better the relationships between gestural laterality and brain lateralization from an evolutionary perspective, we suggest that the gestural communication of other monkey species should be examined with a multifactorial approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Aychet
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, 35380 Paimpont, France; (N.M.); (C.B.-H.); (A.L.)
| | - Noémie Monchy
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, 35380 Paimpont, France; (N.M.); (C.B.-H.); (A.L.)
| | - Catherine Blois-Heulin
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, 35380 Paimpont, France; (N.M.); (C.B.-H.); (A.L.)
| | - Alban Lemasson
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie Animale et Humaine)—UMR 6552, 35380 Paimpont, France; (N.M.); (C.B.-H.); (A.L.)
- Institut Universitaire de France, CEDEX 05, 75231 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Rodrigues ED, Santos AJ, Veppo F, Pereira J, Hobaiter C. Connecting primate gesture to the evolutionary roots of language: A systematic review. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23313. [PMID: 34358359 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Comparative psychology provides important contributions to our understanding of the origins of human language. The presence of common features in human and nonhuman primate communication can be used to suggest the evolutionary trajectories of potential precursors to language. However, to do so effectively, our findings must be comparable across diverse species. This systematic review describes the current landscape of data available from studies of gestural communication in human and nonhuman primates that make an explicit connection to language evolution. We found a similar number of studies on human and nonhuman primates, but that very few studies included data from more than one species. As a result, evolutionary inferences remain restricted to comparison across studies. We identify areas of focus, bias, and apparent gaps within the field. Different domains have been studied in human and nonhuman primates, with relatively few nonhuman primate studies of ontogeny and relatively few human studies of gesture form. Diversity in focus, methods, and socio-ecological context fill important gaps and provide nuanced understanding, but only where the source of any difference between studies is transparent. Many studies provide some definition for their use of gesture; but definitions of gesture, and in particular, criteria for intentional use, are absent in the majority of human studies. We find systematic differences between human and nonhuman primate studies in the research scope, incorporation of other modalities, research setting, and study design. We highlight eight particular areas in a call to action through which we can strengthen our ability to investigate gestural communication's contribution within the evolutionary roots of human language.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evelina D Rodrigues
- William James Center for Research, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - António J Santos
- William James Center for Research, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Flávia Veppo
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Pereira
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catherine Hobaiter
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Schino G, De Angelis F. Conflict over grooming topography between mandrill groomers and groomees. Behav Processes 2020; 180:104240. [PMID: 32905823 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Grooming directed to different body areas is likely to imply different costs and benefits for groomers and groomees. In this study, we investigated social influences on grooming topography in captive female mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). Subordinate groomers preferred to direct grooming to "safe" areas (the back and rump) compared to dominant groomers, while subordinate groomees did not solicit preferentially grooming to safe areas. Groomers tended to initiate grooming episodes from safe areas, while groomees solicited the switch to unsafe areas. Our results highlight a previously unrecognized source of conflict between the partners of grooming, one of the most common cooperative interactions in animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Schino
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy.
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus) adapt their interspecific gestural communication to the recipient's behaviour. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12843. [PMID: 32732945 PMCID: PMC7393380 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69847-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensitivity to recipient’s attention and responsiveness are critical markers of intentional communication. Although previous research showed that ape gestures can be intentional, few studies have yet addressed this question concerning monkeys. Here, we characterise the effect of a recipient’s presence, attentional state and responsiveness on the interspecific gestural communication of captive red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus). Previous reports showed that they produced learnt begging gestures towards a human recipient preferentially when the latter was facing them. We used here a novel setup that allows subjects to move around an experimenter and to use different modalities (visual and acoustic) to communicate. We found that when the recipient was not facing them, mangabeys moved to a position in the visual field of their recipient rather than using attention-getters. Interestingly, unlike apes, they did not elaborate their communication visually or acoustically when the experimenter did not respond favourably to their begging. However, our results may suggest that begging gestures were goal-directed, since mangabeys inhibited them when the experimenter was not available to answer immediately (i.e. give a reward). Overall, red-capped mangabeys’ interspecific visual communication presented intentionality features, but their use of begging gestures was less flexible than that of great apes in similar situations.
Collapse
|
7
|
Gestural communication in olive baboons (Papio anubis): repertoire and intentionality. Anim Cogn 2019; 23:19-40. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01312-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
8
|
Worsley HK, O'Hara SJ. Cross-species referential signalling events in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Anim Cogn 2018; 21:457-465. [PMID: 29713846 PMCID: PMC6004278 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-1181-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Referential gestures are used by a signaller to draw a recipient’s attention to a specific object, individual or event in the environment. These gestures have received much research attention in relation to human and non-human primates with great apes being shown to possess impressive gestural repertoires. Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) meanwhile provide an ideal non-primate candidate for investigating referential signalling due to their unique relationship with humans that centres on non-verbal communication with frequent interaction. Here we observed 37 pet dogs in their own homes. Owners recorded 242 videos containing 47 potential referential gesture events. We analysed those recordings to reveal evidence of 19 referential gestures performed by domestic dogs during everyday communicative bouts with humans, showing that the gestures conform to the five features of referential signalling. Our study exposes impressive gesturing abilities in a non-primate mammal; especially when viewed in the context of the cross-species rather than intraspecific communication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah K Worsley
- University of Salford, School of Environment & Life Sciences, Peel Building, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WT, UK.
| | - Sean J O'Hara
- University of Salford, School of Environment & Life Sciences, Peel Building, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WT, UK
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Deshpande A, Gupta S, Sinha A. Intentional communication between wild bonnet macaques and humans. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5147. [PMID: 29650972 PMCID: PMC5897542 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22928-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative studies of nonhuman communication systems could provide insights into the origins and evolution of a distinct dimension of human language: intentionality. Recent studies have provided evidence for intentional communication in different species but generally in captive settings. We report here a novel behaviour of food requesting from humans displayed by wild bonnet macaques Macaca radiata, an Old World cercopithecine primate, in the Bandipur National Park of southern India. Using both natural observations and field experiments, we examined four different behavioural components—coo-calls, hand-extension gesture, orientation, and monitoring behaviour—of food requesting for their conformity with the established criteria of intentional communication. Our results suggest that food requesting by bonnet macaques is potentially an intentionally produced behavioural strategy as all the food requesting behaviours except coo-calls qualify the criteria for intentionality. We comment on plausible hypotheses for the origin and spread of this novel behavioural strategy in the study macaque population and speculate that the cognitive precursors for language production may be manifest in the usage of combination of signals of different modalities in communication, which could have emerged in simians earlier than in the anthropoid apes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adwait Deshpande
- Consciousness Studies Programme, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India.
| | - Shreejata Gupta
- Animal Behaviour and Cognition Programme, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India
| | - Anindya Sinha
- Consciousness Studies Programme, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India.,Animal Behaviour and Cognition Programme, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India.,Primate Programme, Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore, India.,Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.,Dhole's Den Research Foundation, Bandipur National Park, Karnataka, India
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
What is a gesture? A meaning-based approach to defining gestural repertoires. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 82:3-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 03/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|