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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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Padrell M, Amici F, Úbeda Ý, Llorente M. Assessing Eysenck's PEN model to describe personality in chimpanzees. Behav Processes 2023:104909. [PMID: 37364625 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104909] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Questionnaires adapted from human models can be used to reliably assess personality also in non-human primates. In this study, we used an adapted version of Eysenck's Psychoticism-Extraversion-Neuroticism (PEN) model that focuses on three higher-order personality traits. Extending previous work on a small group of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), we tested 37 chimpanzees housed at Fundació Mona (Girona, Spain) and the Leipzig Zoo (Germany). We assessed personality with a 12-item questionnaire, which raters scored using a 7-point Likert scale. To identify the personality traits, we conducted data reduction with Principal Components Analysis and Robust Unweighted Least Squares. The ICCs for the single (3, 1) and average (3, k) ratings indicated substantial agreement between raters. Parallel analyses identified two factors to retain, whereas the scree plot inspection and eigenvalues larger than one rule identified three factors. Factor 1 and 2 in our study were identical to the ones previously described for this species (labelled Extraversion and Neuropsychoticism, respectively) and we also obtained a third factor that could be related to Dominance (Fearless Dominance). Thus, our results confirm the potential of the PEN model to describe chimpanzee personality structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Padrell
- Departament de Psicologia, Facultat d'Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, 17004, Girona, Spain; Research Department, Fundació Mona, 17457 Girona, Spain.
| | - Federica Amici
- Human Biology and Primate Cognition Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Ýulán Úbeda
- Departament de Psicologia, Facultat d'Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, 17004, Girona, Spain.
| | - Miquel Llorente
- Departament de Psicologia, Facultat d'Educació i Psicologia, Universitat de Girona, 17004, Girona, Spain.
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Pritchard AJ, Carter AJ, Palombit RA. Individual differences in coping styles and associations with social structure in wild baboons (Papio anubis). Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
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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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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: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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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O’Connor VL, Vonk J. Scaredy-cats don't succeed: behavioral traits predict problem-solving success in captive felidae. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14453. [PMID: 36452078 PMCID: PMC9703991 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral traits can be determined from the consistency in an animal's behaviors across time and situations. These behavioral traits may have been differentially selected in closely related species. Studying the structure of these traits across species within an order can inform a better understanding of the selection pressures under which behavior evolves. These adaptive traits are still expected to vary within individuals and might predict general cognitive capacities that facilitate survival, such as behavioral flexibility. We derived five facets (Flexible/Friendly, Fearful/Aggressive, Uninterested, Social/Playful, and Cautious) from behavioral trait assessments based on zookeeper surveys in 52 Felidae individuals representing thirteen species. We analyzed whether age, sex, species, and these facets predicted success in a multi access puzzle box-a measure of innovation. We found that Fearful/Aggressive and Cautious facets were negatively associated with success. This research provides the first test of the association between behavioral trait facets and innovation in a diverse group of captive felidae. Understanding the connection between behavioral traits and problem-solving can assist in ensuring the protection of diverse species in their natural habitats and ethical treatment in captivity.
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Pritchard AJ, Palombit RA. Survey-rated personality traits and experimentally measured coping style and stress reactivity, in wild baboons. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23429. [PMID: 35996313 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The coping style and stress reactivity framework for individual differences in the stress response has been of increasing utility within primatological research. Such differences are often quantified using an experimental approach, but many primatological studies have historically been reliant on a personality-like framework. The personality-like research is derived from human personality literature using survey ratings, while approaches focused on coping styles are often used to interpret differences in small rodents and birds. Experimental approaches benefit from a constrained situation that facilitates control, but sacrifice utility via the generalizability afforded via ratings. Resolving how these two theoretical and methodological approaches intersect is paramount to establishing a biological synthesis between two robust fields of research on individual differences. We applied these frameworks to adult wild olive baboons (Papio anubis) at a field site in Laikipia, Kenya. We quantified coping style and stress reactivity using individually targeted field experiments. We quantified personality trait differences using observer ratings of the monkeys. We isolated three personality trait factors: Neuroticism, Assertiveness, and Friendliness. Personality trait differences showed little association with coping style, but Neuroticism was predicted by stress reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Pritchard
- Department of Anthropology, Program in Human Evolutionary Sciences, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.,Center for Human Evolutionary Sciences, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.,National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ryne A Palombit
- Department of Anthropology, Program in Human Evolutionary Sciences, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.,Center for Human Evolutionary Sciences, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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Vékony K, Prónik F, Pongrácz P. Personalized dominance – a questionnaire-based analysis of the associations among personality traits and social rank of companion dogs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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9
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Norman M, Rowden LJ, Cowlishaw G. Potential applications of personality assessments to the management of non-human primates: a review of 10 years of study. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12044. [PMID: 34589296 PMCID: PMC8432321 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of primate personality have become increasingly common over the past three decades. Recently, studies have begun to focus on the health, welfare and conservation implications of personality, and the potential applications of incorporating quantitative personality assessments into animal management programmes. However, this literature is dispersed across a multitude of settings and scientific disciplines. We conducted a review of nonhuman primate personality studies relevant to these issues published since 2010, following on from an earlier review. The databases ScienceDirect, PubMed and Web of Science were used to identify relevant articles. After eliminating irrelevant or duplicate papers, 69 studies were selected. Our review reveals that, while primate personality research is carried out on a range of species, there is strong taxonomic bias. While 28 species appeared within the reviewed literature, 52% of studies were carried out on just five species. Further, the most common research focus (43%) was validating new assessment methods or describing personality in different species, rather than exploring the links between personality and animal welfare using existing validated methods. However, among the remaining studies that did explore the role of animal personality in husbandry, health, and welfare, we identified progression towards integrating personality data into various aspects of animal management. Evidence suggests the assessment of personality may benefit social group management, enrichment practices, training protocols, health and welfare monitoring, and conservation planning for endangered species. We argue that further research which develops our understanding of primate personality and its influence in these areas will provide a valuable tool to inform animal management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Norman
- Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Guy Cowlishaw
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
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Personality of killer whales (Orcinus orca) is related to welfare and subjective well-being. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Esattore B, Šlipogor V, Saggiomo L, Seltmann MW. "How not to judge a deer by its cover": A personality assessment study on captive adult red deer males (Cervus elaphus). Behav Processes 2021; 186:104361. [PMID: 33639253 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Personality is not a uniquely human characteristic and it has been documented in a wide range of organisms, from mammals to birds, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates. However, personality is still poorly understood in Cervids. Therefore, our study aimed to fill this gap by i) investigating personality and ii) exploring its links to dominance hierarchy, assessed by behavioral observations in 11 captive and tame male red deer (Cervus elaphus). Using questionnaires to assess personality, three trained volunteers rated these animals in 15 behaviorally composed adjectives with detailed descriptions, based on their overall impression at the end of the observation period. Behavioral data from animals were collected across three different situations, namely "feeding" (i.e., high competition for a scarce resource), "normal" (i.e., no external stimuli) in a group setting, and "handling" (i.e., stressful situation due to human manipulation) in an individual setting. We estimated dominance hierarchies between the individuals based on situations of average and high competition (i.e., "normal" and "feeding") via the Clutton-Brock Index (CBI). Using Fleiss' Kappa for inter-rater reliability, only five of our 15 behavioral adjectives showed acceptable reliability. Using principal component analysis, four of these adjectives formed one personality component labelled "Confidence/Aggressiveness". We found that although "Confidence/Aggressiveness" did not correlate with CBI, ratings of two adjectives loading onto this component, namely "Confident" and "Submissive", significantly correlated with the CBI, indicating that the questionnaire ratings reflect real behavioral variation in red deer males. Our study provides the first assessment of personality in male red deer and adds to the growing literature on Cervid personality, offering the basis for future personality research in ungulates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Esattore
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Přátelství 815, 104 00, Praha 10-Uhříněves, Czech Republic; Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Praha - Suchdol, Czech Republic.
| | - Vedrana Šlipogor
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, UZA I, 1090, Vienna, Austria; Department of Zoology, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, Budweiss, Czech Republic
| | - Laura Saggiomo
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Praha 6 - Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
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Šlipogor V, Massen JJM, Schiel N, Souto A, Bugnyar T. Temporal consistency and ecological validity of personality structure in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): A unifying field and laboratory approach. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23229. [PMID: 33464603 PMCID: PMC7900989 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Personality in animals has been extensively researched in recent decades. Temporal consistency of behaviors is almost always part of the personality definition and is usually explored in several different testing sessions or observation periods. However, it is still unclear whether the obtained personality constructs are stable across several years, which might be especially important for long-living animals, such as primates. Further, little is known on whether the personality structures obtained in the laboratory reflect the structures obtained under ecologically relevant conditions in the wild. Therefore, we conducted a battery of personality tests on common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) (N = 27), compared it with a test battery conducted 4 years beforehand on a subset of animals in captivity (N = 13) and ran an adapted version under field conditions at Baracuhy Biological Field Station, Brazil (N = 18). Under captive conditions, we found a remarkably similar personality structure across 4 testing years. Further, we found high long-term temporal consistency in the first two personality components, Boldness and Exploration; however, monkeys that changed their social (i.e., breeding) status between the two testing periods showed a significant increase in Boldness scores. Under field conditions, we found a somewhat similar personality structure as compared to the laboratory, which to some extent corroborates ecological validity of our personality test design. Nevertheless, whether the structure in the wild is suppressed or expanded in comparison to captivity, and in which way the social setting influences personality structure, should be further explored. Taken together, our results contribute to the discussion about the reliability and ecological validity of personality structures in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vedrana Šlipogor
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Department of BiologyFederal Rural University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
- Department of ZoologyFederal University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
| | - Jorg J. M. Massen
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Animal Ecology Group, Institute of Environmental Biology, Department of BiologyUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Nicola Schiel
- Department of BiologyFederal Rural University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
| | - Antonio Souto
- Department of ZoologyFederal University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
| | - Thomas Bugnyar
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
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Úbeda Y, Fatjó J, Rostán C, Crailsheim D, Gomara A, Almunia J, Llorente M. A preliminary investigation on the evaluation of psychopathologies in a group of ex-pet and ex-performer chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): A rating approach based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). J Vet Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2020.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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14
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Lhota S, Roubová V, Gregorová V, Konečná M. Complex patterns of grooming and sexual activity in Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e23040. [PMID: 31429113 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23040] [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: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Grooming in primates is often considered a "currency" that can be exchanged for other "services" or "commodities" such as reciprocal grooming, coalitionary support, infant handling, tolerance around food sources, active food sharing, or mating opportunities. Previous studies on primate grooming-for-sex exchange viewed the males as the demanding class, with the females as suppliers of mating opportunities. In this study, we examine the broader context of grooming-for-mating exchange in Barbary macaques in Gibraltar. Our data show that Barbary macaque males groom females with whom they are mating more frequently and for longer periods than other females, and the relationship between grooming and mating remains significant in both sexual and nonsexual contexts. In addition, females groomed males with whom they were mating more frequently and for longer periods than other males. In both sexes, grooming was observed to be far more frequent and to occur for longer durations in sexual compared to nonsexual contexts. We did not find any difference in grooming behavior between presexual and postsexual contexts. Our data suggest that there is no simple model to describe Barbary macaque grooming patterns in sexual contexts. Although our results are partly consistent with male use of grooming as payment for mating, broadly assessed grooming-mating patterns cannot be solely explained by a male-driven grooming-for-mating exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav Lhota
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.,Ústí nad Labem Zoo, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Roubová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vendula Gregorová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Konečná
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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16
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Paschek N, Müller N, Heistermann M, Ostner J, Schülke O. Subtypes of aggression and their relation to anxiety in Barbary macaques. Aggress Behav 2019; 45:120-128. [PMID: 30318602 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Human aggression can be differentiated into reactive aggression (RA), displayed in face of a real or perceived threat and associated with high levels of anxiety, and proactive aggression (PA), displayed to achieve a certain goal and linked to lower anxiety levels. To study the origins of these aggression subtypes and their relation to anxiety, we tested if both subtypes can be distinguished in a nonhuman primate species, characterized their occurrence within the study group, and examined the link between aggression subtype and anxiety. Data were collected on 29 individuals of a semi-free ranging group of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) at Affenberg Salem, Germany, via focal animal (303 hr) and event sampling (1,222 agonistic events). Using a priori definitions, each aggressive event was classified as either reactive or proactive. We found both aggression types in our study population as well as individual differences in the proportion at which they occurred. The predominant use of one subtype of aggression was linked to the individual's dominance rank, age and sex, but not related to standard behavioral and physiological measures of anxiety. Our results suggest that reactive and proactive subtypes of aggression also exist in Barbary macaques, indicating a deeper evolutionary history of these aggression types observed in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Paschek
- Department of Behavioural Ecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Niedersachsen Germany
| | - Nadine Müller
- Department of Behavioural Ecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Niedersachsen Germany
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory; German Primate Center; Leibniz Institute for Primate Research; Göttingen Germany
| | - Julia Ostner
- Department of Behavioural Ecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Niedersachsen Germany
- Primate Social Evolution Research Group; German Primate Center; Leibniz Institute for Primate Research; Göttingen Niedersachsen Germany
| | - Oliver Schülke
- Department of Behavioural Ecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Niedersachsen Germany
- Primate Social Evolution Research Group; German Primate Center; Leibniz Institute for Primate Research; Göttingen Niedersachsen Germany
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Masilkova M, Weiss A, Konečná M. How long does it take? Reliable personality assessment based on common behaviour in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus). Behav Processes 2018; 157:59-67. [PMID: 30157466 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Individual variation in behaviour has been shown to have important ecological and evolutionary consequences. Research on animal personality has therefore received considerable attention, yet some methodological issues remain unresolved. We tested whether assessing personality by coding common behaviours is as time-consuming method as some researchers believe it to be. Altogether, 300 hours of observation were collected on 20 captive cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus). We first examined the repeatability of behavioural indices that represented the behavioural repertoire of cotton-top tamarins. We then compared the personality structures, based on different lengths of observation time, of these behavioural indices. The minimum observational time necessary to obtain a stable personality structure was 5 to 7 hours per individual. This stable structure included two components: Extraversion and Confidence, which were similar to those described in great apes, Old World monkeys, and other New World monkeys. Our findings suggest that, at least in the case of cotton-top tamarins, behavioural coding over relatively short periods of time can be used to assess personality and that longer observation periods may yield diminishing returns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Masilkova
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Alexander Weiss
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, United Kingdom; Scottish Primate Research Group, United Kingdom
| | - Martina Konečná
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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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: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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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Robinson LM, Coleman K, Capitanio JP, Gottlieb DH, Handel IG, Adams MJ, Leach MC, Waran NK, Weiss A. Rhesus macaque personality, dominance, behavior, and health. Am J Primatol 2018; 80. [PMID: 29457637 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies of nonhuman primates have found relationships between health and individual differences in personality, behavior, and social status. However, despite knowing these factors are intercorrelated, many studies focus only on a single measure, for example, rank. Consequently, it is difficult to determine the degree to which these individual differences are independently associated with health. The present study sought to untangle the associations between health and these individual differences in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). We studied 85 socially housed macaques at the Oregon and California National Primate Research Centers, and used veterinary records to determine the number of injuries and illnesses for each macaque. We measured personality using 12 items from a well-established primate personality questionnaire, performed focal observations of behaviors, and calculated dominance status from directional supplant data. All twelve personality questionnaire items were reliable and were used to represent five of the six personality dimensions identified in rhesus macaques-Dominance, Confidence, Openness, Anxiety, and Friendliness (also known as Sociability). Following this, we fit generalized linear mixed effects models to understand how these factors were associated with an animal's history of injury and history of illness. In the models, age was an offset, facility was a random effect, and the five personality dimensions, behavior, sex, and dominance status were fixed effects. Number of injuries and illnesses were each best represented by a negative binomial distribution. For the injury models, including the effects did improve model fit. This model revealed that more confident and more anxious macaques experienced fewer injuries. For the illness models, including the fixed effects did not significantly improve model fit over a model without the fixed effects. Future studies may seek to assess mechanisms underlying these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Robinson
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Department of Psychology, Edinburgh, UK.,Scottish Primate Research Group, Edinburgh, UK.,Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, UK
| | | | - John P Capitanio
- California National Primate Research Center, Department of Psychology, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, California
| | | | - Ian G Handel
- The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - Mark J Adams
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Matthew C Leach
- School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development, Agriculture Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Natalie K Waran
- Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, UK.,The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK.,Faculty of Education, Humanities and Health Science, Eastern Institute of Technology, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
| | - Alexander Weiss
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Department of Psychology, Edinburgh, UK.,Scottish Primate Research Group, Edinburgh, UK
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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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The prospect of rising in rank is key to long-term stability in Tibetan macaque society. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7082. [PMID: 28765545 PMCID: PMC5539219 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07067-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most fundamental questions in behavioural biology is why societies can persist for a long period of time. While researchers in animal behaviour have been hindered by a lack of an aggregate measure (such as social mobility) to quantify the dynamics of animal societies, researchers in social sciences have been challenged by the complexity and diversity of human societies. As a result, direct empirical evidence is still lacking for the hypothesized causal relationship between social mobility and social stability. Here we attempt to fill the void by examining a much simpler society in the Tibetan macaque (Macaca thibetana), which we have tracked for 30 consecutive years. By testing two group-level hypotheses based on benefit-cost analysis and social stratification, we show the first quantitative evidence that an annual 2-to-1 stay/change ratio in the hierarchy with a 3-to-1 upward/downward ratio in intragenerational social mobility provides a substantive expected benefit for adult members to stay in the group and wait for their chances to advance. Furthermore, using a Markov transition matrix constructed from empirical data, we demonstrate that the 3-to-1 upward/downward ratio could lead to long-term structural stability in Tibetan macaque society.
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Kohn JN, Snyder-Mackler N, Barreiro LB, Johnson ZP, Tung J, Wilson ME. Dominance rank causally affects personality and glucocorticoid regulation in female rhesus macaques. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 74:179-188. [PMID: 27639059 PMCID: PMC5494262 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Low social status is frequently associated with heightened exposure to social stressors and altered glucocorticoid regulation by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Additionally, personality differences can affect how individuals behave in response to social conditions, and thus may aggravate or protect against the effects of low status on HPA function. Disentangling the relative importance of personality from the effects of the social environment on the HPA axis has been challenging, since social status can predict aspects of behavior, and both can remain stable across the lifespan. To do so here, we studied an animal model of social status and social behavior, the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). We performed two sequential experimental manipulations of dominance rank (i.e., social status) in 45 adult females, allowing us to characterize personality and glucocorticoid regulation (based on sensitivity to the exogenous glucocorticoid dexamethasone) in each individual while she occupied two different dominance ranks. We identified two behavioral characteristics, termed 'social approachability' and 'boldness,' which were highly social status-dependent. Social approachability and a third dimension, anxiousness, were also associated with cortisol dynamics in low status females, suggesting that behavioral tendencies may sensitize individuals to the effects of low status on HPA axis function. Finally, we found that improvements in dominance rank increased dexamethasone-induced acute cortisol suppression and glucocorticoid negative feedback. Our findings indicate that social status causally affects both behavioral tendencies and glucocorticoid regulation, and that some behavioral tendencies also independently affect cortisol levels, beyond the effects of rank. Together, they highlight the importance of considering personality and social status together when investigating their effects on HPA axis function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan N Kohn
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; Duke Center for Aging, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Luis B Barreiro
- Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Zachary P Johnson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA; Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA; Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya; Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Mark E Wilson
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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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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Thomas P, Herrel A, Hardy I, Aujard F, Pouydebat E. Exploration Behavior and Morphology are Correlated in Captive Gray Mouse Lemurs (Microcebus murinus). INT J PRIMATOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9908-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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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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Baker KR, Lea SEG, Melfi VA. Comparative Personality Assessment of Three Captive Primate Species: Macaca nigra, Macaca sylvanus, and Saimiri sciureus. INT J PRIMATOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-015-9843-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Petit O, Dufour V, Herrenschmidt M, De Marco A, Sterck EHM, Call J. Inferences about food location in three cercopithecine species: an insight into the socioecological cognition of primates. Anim Cogn 2015; 18:821-30. [PMID: 25697970 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-015-0848-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Revised: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Many animal species use a variety of cognitive strategies to locate food resources. One strategy is to make inferences by exclusion, i.e., perceiving the absence of reward as a cue that another location should be investigated. The use of such advanced cognitive strategies may be more prominent in species that are known to frequently solve social challenges, and inferential reasoning has mainly been investigated in social species such as corvids, dogs, dolphins and non-human primates. In this paper, we investigate how far social intricacy may explain the disparity of reasoning performances observed in three cercopithecine species that differ in the density of their social network and the diversity of their social partners. We used standard reasoning tasks, testing the volume concept and inference by exclusion using visual and auditory modalities. We showed that Old World monkeys can infer the location of invisible food by exclusion. In addition, Tonkean macaques and olive baboons had greater performances in most tasks compared to rhesus macaques. These responses are consistent with the social complexity displayed by these three species. We suggest that the cognitive strategies required to navigate through a demanding social world are involved in the understanding of the physical domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odile Petit
- Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Strasbourg, France,
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Roubová V, Konečná M, Šmilauer P, Wallner B. Whom to groom and for what? Patterns of grooming in female Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117298. [PMID: 25668722 PMCID: PMC4323340 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Accepted: 12/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Grooming is one of the most conspicuous social interactions among nonhuman primates. The selection of grooming partners can provide important clues about factors relevant for the distribution of grooming within a social group. We analyzed grooming behavior among 17 semi-free ranging female Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). We tested whether grooming is related to kinship, rank and friendship. Furthermore, we tested whether grooming is reciprocated or exchanged for rank related benefits (i.e. lower aggression and increased tolerance whilst feeding). We found that in general grooming was reciprocally exchanged, directed up the hierarchy and at the same time affected by friendship and kinship. Grooming was more frequent among individuals with higher friendship values as well as amongst related individuals. We also divided our data set on the basis of rank difference and tested if different power asymmetries between individuals affected the tendency to exchange grooming for rank related benefits and grooming reciprocation. In support of our initial hypothesis our results show that the reciprocation of grooming was a significant predictor of grooming interactions between individuals of similar rank, but not between those individuals more distantly separated in the social hierarchy. However, we did not find any evidence for grooming being exchanged for rank related benefits in either data set. Our results, together with previously published studies, illustrate the behavioral flexibility of macaques. It is clear that multiple studies of the same species are necessary to gather the data required for the solid comparative studies needed to shed light on patterns of grooming behavior in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Roubová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
| | - Martina Konečná
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Šmilauer
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Bernard Wallner
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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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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Schaefer SA, Steklis HD. Personality and subjective well-being in captive male western lowland gorillas living in bachelor groups. Am J Primatol 2014; 76:879-89. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2013] [Revised: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 02/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Schaefer
- Department of Anthropology; Rutgers University; New Brunswick New Jersey
| | - H. Dieter Steklis
- Departments of Psychology and Family Studies and Human Development; University of Arizona; Tucson Arizona
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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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Neumann C, Agil M, Widdig A, Engelhardt A. Personality of wild male crested macaques (Macaca nigra). PLoS One 2013; 8:e69383. [PMID: 23940517 PMCID: PMC3734184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal personalities, i.e. consistent differences in behavior across time and/or context, have received increased attention of behavioral biologists over the last years. Recent research shows that personalities represent traits on which natural and sexual selection work and which can have substantial fitness consequences. The aim of this study is to establish the personality structure of crested macaque (Macaca nigra) males as foundation for future studies on its adaptive value. We collected behavioral data through focal animal sampling and additionally conducted two sets of playback experiments. Results of a factor analysis on the behavioral data revealed a four factor structure with components we labeled Anxiety, Sociability, Connectedness and Aggressiveness. Results from the experiments revealed an additional and independent Boldness factor but the absence of Neophilia. Overall, this structure resembles other macaque and animal species with the exception of Connectedness, which might be a consequence of the species' tolerant social style. Our results thus not only form the basis for future studies on the adaptive value of personality in crested macaques but also contribute an important data point for investigating the evolution of personality structure from a comparative perspective by refining, for example, which personality factors characterized the last common ancestor of hominids and macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof Neumann
- Junior Research Group of Primate Sexual Selection, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.
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Gartner MC, Weiss A. Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris grampia) personality and subjective well-being: Implications for captive management. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2012.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Sussman AF, Ha JC, Bentson KL, Crockett CM. Temperament in rhesus, long-tailed, and pigtailed macaques varies by species and sex. Am J Primatol 2013; 75:303-13. [PMID: 23225368 PMCID: PMC3581757 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2012] [Revised: 11/03/2012] [Accepted: 11/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Temperament differs among individuals both within and between species. Evidence suggests that differences in temperament of group members may parallel differences in social behavior among groups or between species. Here, we compared temperament between three closely related species of monkey-rhesus (Macaca mulatta), long-tailed (M. fascicularis), and pigtailed (M. nemestrina) macaques-using cage-front behavioral observations of individually housed monkeys at a National Primate Research Center. Frequencies of 12 behaviors in 899 subjects were analyzed using a principal components analysis to identify temperament components. The analysis identified four components, which we interpreted as Sociability toward humans, Cautiousness, Aggressiveness, and Fearfulness. Species and sexes differed in their average scores on these components, even after controlling for differences in age and early-life experiences. Our results suggest that rhesus macaques are especially aggressive and unsociable toward humans, long-tailed macaques are more cautious and fearful, and pigtailed macaques are more sociable toward humans and less aggressive than the other species. Pigtailed males were notably more sociable than any other group. The differences observed are consistent with reported variation in these species' social behaviors, as rhesus macaques generally engage in more social aggression and pigtailed macaques engage in more male-male affiliative behaviors. Differences in predation risks are among the socioecological factors that might make these species-typical behaviors adaptive. Our results suggest that adaptive species-level social differences may be encoded in individual-level temperaments, which are manifested even outside of a social context. Am. J. Primatol. 75:303-313, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Exploratory factor analysis with small sample sizes: a comparison of three approaches. Behav Processes 2013; 97:90-5. [PMID: 23541772 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2012.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2012] [Revised: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) has emerged in the field of animal behavior as a useful tool for determining and assessing latent behavioral constructs. Because the small sample size problem often occurs in this field, a traditional approach, unweighted least squares, has been considered the most feasible choice for EFA. Two new approaches were recently introduced in the statistical literature as viable alternatives to EFA when sample size is small: regularized exploratory factor analysis and generalized exploratory factor analysis. A simulation study is conducted to evaluate the relative performance of these three approaches in terms of factor recovery under various experimental conditions of sample size, degree of overdetermination, and level of communality. In this study, overdetermination and sample size are the meaningful conditions in differentiating the performance of the three approaches in factor recovery. Specifically, when there are a relatively large number of factors, regularized exploratory factor analysis tends to recover the correct factor structure better than the other two approaches. Conversely, when few factors are retained, unweighted least squares tends to recover the factor structure better. Finally, generalized exploratory factor analysis exhibits very poor performance in factor recovery compared to the other approaches. This tendency is particularly prominent as sample size increases. Thus, generalized exploratory factor analysis may not be a good alternative to EFA. Regularized exploratory factor analysis is recommended over unweighted least squares unless small expected number of factors is ensured.
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