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Testard C, Tremblay S, Parodi F, DiTullio RW, Acevedo-Ithier A, Gardiner KL, Kording K, Platt ML. Neural signatures of natural behaviour in socializing macaques. Nature 2024; 628:381-390. [PMID: 38480888 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07178-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Our understanding of the neurobiology of primate behaviour largely derives from artificial tasks in highly controlled laboratory settings, overlooking most natural behaviours that primate brains evolved to produce1-3. How primates navigate the multidimensional social relationships that structure daily life4 and shape survival and reproductive success5 remains largely unclear at the single-neuron level. Here we combine ethological analysis, computer vision and wireless recording technologies to identify neural signatures of natural behaviour in unrestrained, socially interacting pairs of rhesus macaques. Single-neuron and population activity in the prefrontal and temporal cortex robustly encoded 24 species-typical behaviours, as well as social context. Male-female partners demonstrated near-perfect reciprocity in grooming, a key behavioural mechanism supporting friendships and alliances6, and neural activity maintained a running account of these social investments. Confronted with an aggressive intruder, behavioural and neural population responses reflected empathy and were buffered by the presence of a partner. Our findings reveal a highly distributed neurophysiological ledger of social dynamics, a potential computational foundation supporting communal life in primate societies, including our own.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Testard
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Sébastien Tremblay
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Felipe Parodi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ron W DiTullio
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Kristin L Gardiner
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Konrad Kording
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael L Platt
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Marketing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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2
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Engelhardt SC, Weladji RB, Holand Ø, Røed KH, Nieminen M. Evidence suggesting that reindeer mothers allonurse according to the direct reciprocity and generalized reciprocity decision rules. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295497. [PMID: 38096314 PMCID: PMC10721201 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Allonursing is the nursing of the offspring of other mothers. Cooperation is an emergent property of evolved decision rules. Cooperation can be explained by at least three evolved decision rules: 1) direct reciprocity, i.e. help someone who previously helped you, 2) kin discrimination, i.e. preferentially direct help to kin than to non-kin, and 3) generalized reciprocity, i.e. help anyone if helped by someone. We assessed if semi-domesticated reindeer, Rangifer tarandus, mothers allonursed according to the decision rules of direct reciprocity, generalized reciprocity and kin discrimination over 2 years. To assess if reindeer mothers allonursed according to the direct reciprocity decision rule, we predicted that mothers should give more help to those who previously helped them more often. To assess if reindeer mothers allonursed according to the kin discrimination decision rule, we predicted that help given should increase as pairwise genetic relatedness increased. To assess if reindeer mothers allonursed according to the generalized reciprocity decision rule, we predicted that the overall number of help given by reindeer mothers should increase as the overall number of help received by reindeer mothers increased. The number of help given i) increased as the number of help received from the same partner increased in the 2012 group but not in both 2013 groups, ii) was not influenced by relatedness, and iii) was not influenced by an interaction between the number of help received from the same partner and relatedness. iv) The overall number of help given increased as the overall number of help received increased. The results did not support the prediction that reindeer mothers allonursed according to the kin discrimination decision rule. The results suggest that reindeer mothers may allonurse according to the direct reciprocity and generalized reciprocity decision rules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sacha C. Engelhardt
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology und Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Hinterkappelen, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert B. Weladji
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Øystein Holand
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Viken, Norway
| | - Knut H. Røed
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mauri Nieminen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland Luke, Reindeer Research Station, Kaamanen, Lapland, Finland
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3
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Testard C, Tremblay S, Parodi F, DiTullio RW, Acevedo-Ithier A, Gardiner K, Kording KP, Platt M. Neural signatures of natural behavior in socializing macaques. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.05.547833. [PMID: 37461580 PMCID: PMC10349985 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.05.547833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of the neurobiology of primate behavior largely derives from artificial tasks in highly-controlled laboratory settings, overlooking most natural behaviors primate brains evolved to produce1. In particular, how primates navigate the multidimensional social relationships that structure daily life and shape survival and reproductive success remains largely unexplored at the single neuron level. Here, we combine ethological analysis with new wireless recording technologies to uncover neural signatures of natural behavior in unrestrained, socially interacting pairs of rhesus macaques within a larger colony. Population decoding of single neuron activity in prefrontal and temporal cortex unveiled robust encoding of 24 species-typical behaviors, which was strongly modulated by the presence and identity of surrounding monkeys. Male-female partners demonstrated near-perfect reciprocity in grooming, a key behavioral mechanism supporting friendships and alliances, and neural activity maintained a running account of these social investments. When confronted with an aggressive intruder, behavioral and neural population responses reflected empathy and were buffered by the presence of a partner. Surprisingly, neural signatures in prefrontal and temporal cortex were largely indistinguishable and irreducible to visual and motor contingencies. By employing an ethological approach to the study of primate neurobiology, we reveal a highly-distributed neurophysiological record of social dynamics, a potential computational foundation supporting communal life in primate societies, including our own.
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Effects of Social Housing on Dairy Calf Social Bonding. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12070821. [PMID: 35405811 PMCID: PMC8997003 DOI: 10.3390/ani12070821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Social housing for dairy calves has a range of benefits for social development, yet there is limited understanding of how social bonds form early in life. We characterized effects of early life social contact on the development of social preference for calves varying in familiarity. A total of 40 calves were tested in a social preference test at 4 weeks of age to assess the formation of social bonds and preference for their peers. Within an open-field social preference test, focal calves were presented with two stimulus calves, one ‘more familiar’ and one ‘less familiar’. We found that pair-housed calves spent more time in close proximity with either stimulus calf and had a greater preference for their pen-mate, compared to another calf reared within visual contact. Individually housed calves exhibited no preference for calves reared within visual but not physical contact compared to calves that were completely unfamiliar. Of the calves that approached both stimulus calves, individually housed calves that approached the ‘less familiar’ calf first spent less time near the ‘more familiar’ calf, whereas behavior of pair-housed calves was not affected by the first calf approached. These results suggest that physical contact is necessary for the development of social bonds in young dairy calves, and early life social housing may support the development of normal social behavior in dairy cattle.
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O’Hearn WJ, Ruiz-Lambides A, Platt ML, Brent LJN. No evidence that grooming is exchanged for coalitionary support in the short- or long-term via direct or generalized reciprocity in unrelated rhesus macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03160-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Reciprocity is a prominent explanation for cooperation between non-kin. Studies designed to demonstrate reciprocity often focus on direct reciprocity in the timescale of minutes to hours, whereas alternative mechanisms like generalized reciprocity and the possibility of reciprocation over longer timescales of months and years are less often explored. Using a playback experiment, we tested for evidence of direct and generalized reciprocity across short and longer timescales. We examined the exchange of grooming for coalitionary support between unrelated female rhesus macaques in a population with a complete genetic pedigree. Females that received grooming were not more responsive to calls for coalitionary support from unrelated female group mates compared to control females that received agonism or no interaction — even when the call belonged to a females’ most recent grooming partner. Similarly, females were not more responsive to calls for support from their most frequent unrelated grooming partner of the last two years, nor if they received large amounts of grooming from all other females in their group. We interpret these results as an absence of evidence for direct or generalized reciprocity on any timescale in the exchange of grooming for coalitionary support in rhesus macaques. If grooming is exchanged for support in this population, it is with an intensity below our ability to detect it or over a longer timescale than we examined. We propose by-product explanations may also be at play and highlight the importance of investigating multiple mechanisms when testing apparently cooperative behaviors.
Significance statement
The receipt of help can make some animals more likely to provide help in return, whether it be a singular act, or many acts accumulated over months. Similarly, the receipt of help, be it one act of aid, or a group’s worth of help over time, can make some animals more likely to pay help forward to others. Studies on Old World monkeys suggest females may give grooming and in return receive aid in future physical conflicts. Using a playback experiment, we found female rhesus macaques were not more responsive to calls for intervention in a simulated conflict after being groomed by unrelated females, even if the calling combatant was her most recent, or a long-time grooming partner. Our results suggest females in our study population may be receiving benefits other than support in conflicts for the grooming they provide.
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Gareta García M, Lemieux D, Bshary R. Factors affecting tolerance persistence after grooming interactions in wild female vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus pygerythrus. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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7
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Freeman PT, Anderson EL, Allen KB, O'Connell-Rodwell CE. Age-based variation in calf independence, social behavior and play in a captive population of African elephant calves. Zoo Biol 2021; 40:376-385. [PMID: 34077576 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21629] [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: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
African elephant calves are highly social and their behavioral development depends heavily on interactions with other elephants. Evaluating early social behaviors offers important information that can inform management decisions and maximize individual- and population-level welfare. We use data collected from the population of elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, CA to evaluate developmental trajectories of spatial independence and social behavior in nine elephant calves across a range of ages. As calves aged, the probability of being further from mothers also increased. Tactile interactions were common among calves, with all individuals either initiating or receiving physical touches from other elephants in a large proportion of focal scans. While the probability of initiating tactile interactions tended to decline with increases in calf age, the probability of receiving tactile interactions from other elephants remained invariant with regard to this variable. The social play was also common, occurring in a fifth of all focal scans. While there was evidence that social play tended to decline with increases in calf age, results suggest additional factors may be useful in characterizing patterns in play behavior at the individual level. Calves most frequently engaged in play with individuals of similar age but showed substantial variation in play partner choice. Results of this study suggest that maintaining groups of elephants in captivity with diverse age structure positively contribute to their healthy social development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Caitlin E O'Connell-Rodwell
- Utopia Scientific, San Diego, California, USA.,Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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8
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A multi-armed bandit algorithm speeds up the evolution of cooperation. Ecol Modell 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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9
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Schino G, Boggiani L, Mortelliti A, Pinzaglia M, Addessi E. Testing the two sides of indirect reciprocity in tufted capuchin monkeys. Behav Processes 2020; 182:104290. [PMID: 33253784 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
We addressed two different aspects of indirect reciprocity in tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) studying two common cooperative behaviours, grooming and food sharing. In an observational study, we tested whether capuchin monkeys were more likely to groom an individual that had just groomed a group mate than an individual that had not groomed anybody. In an experimental study, we tested whether capuchin monkeys were more likely to share their food with a partner when in the presence of a bystander (or of an image of the eyes of a conspecific) than when alone with their partner. In the observational study, we found an increase in the likelihood of receiving grooming after giving grooming, but this effect seemed to depend on social facilitation rather than on indirect reciprocity, as we found a similar effect after receiving (rather than giving) grooming. In the experimental study, the presence of a bystander or of an image of eyes did not affect the amount of food transferred to a group mate. Overall, these results suggest capuchin monkeys do not engage in indirect reciprocity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Schino
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy.
| | - Ludovica Boggiani
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy; Anthropologisches Institut, Universität Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Arianna Mortelliti
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Pinzaglia
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy; Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Elsa Addessi
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy
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10
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Botero M, Langley HA, Venta A. The untenable omission of touch in maternal sensitivity and attachment research. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Botero
- Psychology and Philosophy DepartmentSam Houston State University USA
| | | | - Amanda Venta
- Psychology and Philosophy DepartmentSam Houston State University USA
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11
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Schweinfurth MK, Call J. Reciprocity: Different behavioural strategies, cognitive mechanisms and psychological processes. Learn Behav 2019; 47:284-301. [PMID: 31676946 PMCID: PMC6877494 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-019-00394-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Reciprocity is probably one of the most debated theories in evolutionary research. After more than 40 years of research, some scientists conclude that reciprocity is an almost uniquely human trait mainly because it is cognitively demanding. Others, however, conclude that reciprocity is widespread and of great importance to many species. Yet, it is unclear how these species reciprocate, given its apparent cognitive complexity. Therefore, our aim was to unravel the psychological processes underlying reciprocity. By bringing together findings from studies investigating different aspects of reciprocity, we show that reciprocity is a rich concept with different behavioural strategies and cognitive mechanisms that require very different psychological processes. We reviewed evidence from three textbook examples, i.e. the Norway rat, common vampire bat and brown capuchin monkey, and show that the species use different strategies and mechanisms to reciprocate. We continue by examining the psychological processes of reciprocity. We show that the cognitive load varies between different forms of reciprocity. Several factors can lower the memory demands of reciprocity such as distinctiveness of encounters, memory of details and network size. Furthermore, there are different information operation systems in place, which also vary in their cognitive load due to assessing the number of encounters and the quality and quantity of help. We conclude that many species possess the psychological processes to show some form of reciprocity. Hence, reciprocity might be a widespread phenomenon that varies in terms of strategies and mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K Schweinfurth
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, KY16 9JP, St Andrews, Scotland.
| | - Josep Call
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, KY16 9JP, St Andrews, Scotland
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12
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Wascher CAF, Feider B, Bugnyar T, Dufour V. Crows and common ravens do not reciprocally exchange tokens with a conspecific to gain food rewards. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Valérie Dufour
- Team of Cognitive and Social Ethology UMR 7247 PRC CNRS Inra IFCE University of Tours Tours France
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Mielke A, Preis A, Samuni L, Gogarten JF, Wittig RM, Crockford C. Flexible decision-making in grooming partner choice in sooty mangabeys and chimpanzees. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:172143. [PMID: 30109053 PMCID: PMC6083658 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.172143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Living in permanent social groups forces animals to make decisions about when, how and with whom to interact, requiring decisions to be made that integrate multiple sources of information. Changing social environments can influence this decision-making process by constraining choice or altering the likelihood of a positive outcome. Here, we conceptualized grooming as a choice situation where an individual chooses one of a number of potential partners. Studying two wild populations of sympatric primate species, sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys atys) and western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus), we tested what properties of potential partners influenced grooming decisions, including their relative value based on available alternatives and the social relationships of potential partners with bystanders who could observe the outcome of the decision. Across 1529 decision events, multiple partner attributes (e.g. dominance ranks, social relationship quality, reproductive state, partner sex) influenced choice. Individuals preferred to initiate grooming with partners of similar global rank, but this effect was driven by a bias towards partners with a high rank compared to other locally available options. Individuals also avoided grooming partners who had strong social relationships with at least one bystander. Results indicated flexible decision-making in grooming interactions in both species, based on a partner's value given the local social environment. Viewing partner choice as a value-based decision-making process allows researchers to compare how different species solve similar social problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Mielke
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Taï Chimpanzee Project, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Anna Preis
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Taï Chimpanzee Project, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Liran Samuni
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Taï Chimpanzee Project, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Jan F. Gogarten
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Taï Chimpanzee Project, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- P3: ‘Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms’, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Roman M. Wittig
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Taï Chimpanzee Project, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Taï Chimpanzee Project, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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14
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Molesti S, Majolo B. Evidence of direct reciprocity, but not of indirect and generalized reciprocity, in the grooming exchanges of wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus
). Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Molesti
- School of Psychology; University of Lincoln; Brayford Pool United Kingdom
- Laboratoire CLLE-LTC; UMR 5263; Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès; Toulouse France
| | - Bonaventura Majolo
- School of Psychology; University of Lincoln; Brayford Pool United Kingdom
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15
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Gfrerer N, Taborsky M. Working dogs cooperate among one another by generalised reciprocity. Sci Rep 2017; 7:43867. [PMID: 28262722 PMCID: PMC5338352 DOI: 10.1038/srep43867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperation by generalised reciprocity implies that individuals apply the decision rule "help anyone if helped by someone". This mechanism has been shown to generate evolutionarily stable levels of cooperation, but as yet it is unclear how widely this cooperation mechanism is applied among animals. Dogs (Canis familiaris) are highly social animals with considerable cognitive potential and the ability to differentiate between individual social partners. But although dogs can solve complex problems, they may use simple rules for behavioural decisions. Here we show that dogs trained in an instrumental cooperative task to provide food to a social partner help conspecifics more often after receiving help from a dog before. Remarkably, in so doing they show no distinction between partners that had helped them before and completely unfamiliar conspecifics. Apparently, dogs use the simple decision rule characterizing generalised reciprocity, although they are probably capable of using the more complex decision rule of direct reciprocity: "help someone who has helped you". However, generalized reciprocity involves lower information processing costs and is therefore a cheaper cooperation strategy. Our results imply that generalised reciprocity might be applied more commonly than direct reciprocity also in other mutually cooperating animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastassja Gfrerer
- Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
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16
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17
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Taborsky M, Frommen JG, Riehl C. Correlated pay-offs are key to cooperation. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:20150084. [PMID: 26729924 PMCID: PMC4760186 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The general belief that cooperation and altruism in social groups result primarily from kin selection has recently been challenged, not least because results from cooperatively breeding insects and vertebrates have shown that groups may be composed mainly of non-relatives. This allows testing predictions of reciprocity theory without the confounding effect of relatedness. Here, we review complementary and alternative evolutionary mechanisms to kin selection theory and provide empirical examples of cooperative behaviour among unrelated individuals in a wide range of taxa. In particular, we focus on the different forms of reciprocity and on their underlying decision rules, asking about evolutionary stability, the conditions selecting for reciprocity and the factors constraining reciprocal cooperation. We find that neither the cognitive requirements of reciprocal cooperation nor the often sequential nature of interactions are insuperable stumbling blocks for the evolution of reciprocity. We argue that simple decision rules such as 'help anyone if helped by someone' should get more attention in future research, because empirical studies show that animals apply such rules, and theoretical models find that they can create stable levels of cooperation under a wide range of conditions. Owing to its simplicity, behaviour based on such a heuristic may in fact be ubiquitous. Finally, we argue that the evolution of exchange and trading of service and commodities among social partners needs greater scientific focus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Taborsky
- Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Joachim G Frommen
- Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Christina Riehl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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18
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Claidière N, Whiten A, Mareno MC, Messer EJE, Brosnan SF, Hopper LM, Lambeth SP, Schapiro SJ, McGuigan N. Selective and contagious prosocial resource donation in capuchin monkeys, chimpanzees and humans. Sci Rep 2015; 5:7631. [PMID: 25559658 PMCID: PMC4284509 DOI: 10.1038/srep07631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Prosocial acts benefitting others are widespread amongst humans. By contrast, chimpanzees have failed to demonstrate such a disposition in several studies, leading some authors to conclude that the forms of prosociality studied evolved in humans since our common ancestry. However, similar prosocial behavior has since been documented in other primates, such as capuchin monkeys. Here, applying the same methodology to humans, chimpanzees, and capuchins, we provide evidence that all three species will display prosocial behavior, but only in certain conditions. Fundamental forms of prosociality were age-dependent in children, conditional on self-beneficial resource distributions even at age seven, and conditional on social or resource configurations in chimpanzees and capuchins. We provide the first evidence that experience of conspecific companions' prosocial behavior facilitates prosocial behavior in children and chimpanzees. Prosocial actions were manifested in all three species following rules of contingency that may reflect strategically adaptive responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Claidière
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Andrew Whiten
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Mary C. Mareno
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Emily J. E. Messer
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Sarah F. Brosnan
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, PO Box 5010, Atlanta, GA 30302-5010, USA
| | - Lydia M. Hopper
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, PO Box 5010, Atlanta, GA 30302-5010, USA
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study & Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
| | - Susan P. Lambeth
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nicola McGuigan
- School of Life Sciences, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK
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Molesti S, Majolo B. Grooming increases self-directed behaviour in wild Barbary macaques, Macaca sylvanus. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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20
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Social interactions through the eyes of macaques and humans. PLoS One 2013; 8:e56437. [PMID: 23457569 PMCID: PMC3574082 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 01/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Group-living primates frequently interact with each other to maintain social bonds as well as to compete for valuable resources. Observing such social interactions between group members provides individuals with essential information (e.g. on the fighting ability or altruistic attitude of group companions) to guide their social tactics and choice of social partners. This process requires individuals to selectively attend to the most informative content within a social scene. It is unclear how non-human primates allocate attention to social interactions in different contexts, and whether they share similar patterns of social attention to humans. Here we compared the gaze behaviour of rhesus macaques and humans when free-viewing the same set of naturalistic images. The images contained positive or negative social interactions between two conspecifics of different phylogenetic distance from the observer; i.e. affiliation or aggression exchanged by two humans, rhesus macaques, Barbary macaques, baboons or lions. Monkeys directed a variable amount of gaze at the two conspecific individuals in the images according to their roles in the interaction (i.e. giver or receiver of affiliation/aggression). Their gaze distribution to non-conspecific individuals was systematically varied according to the viewed species and the nature of interactions, suggesting a contribution of both prior experience and innate bias in guiding social attention. Furthermore, the monkeys' gaze behavior was qualitatively similar to that of humans, especially when viewing negative interactions. Detailed analysis revealed that both species directed more gaze at the face than the body region when inspecting individuals, and attended more to the body region in negative than in positive social interactions. Our study suggests that monkeys and humans share a similar pattern of role-sensitive, species- and context-dependent social attention, implying a homologous cognitive mechanism of social attention between rhesus macaques and humans.
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