Environment Network (UPEN)
January 2013
Learn from our closest relatives, the nonhumans primates
Photography supplied courtesy of Jerome Micheletta
A series of studies under development at the University of Portsmouth, in collaboration with other universities and research groups is investigating the roots of social communication.
As humans, we hold important skills that have evolved through social behaviour. We can not fully understand the origins of these by studying our species in isolation – it is necessary to learn from our close relatives by comparing their behaviours with ours.
Scientists from the Department of Psychology studied a particular species of macaque, the Sulawesi crested macaque, both in the wild (being part of Macaca Nigra Project) and at a zoological park (in collaboration with Marwell Wildlife).
This complementary approach allowed the scientists to investigate different aspects of cognitive and behavioral research.
Just like humans and many other primates, macaques use complex social interactions. Sulawesi crested macaques, native to Indonesia, employ sophisticated and subtle communication tools, relying on many different facial expressions, body positions and vocalizations to make themselves understood.
Particularly interesting are the research projects on the role of friendship between these animals. Results suggest that this effect of friendship seems independent of social status and family relationships.
It has been found, for the first time, how friendship plays a very important role in the context of predator defence. It has been observed that these bonds influence the way individuals respond to alarm calls given in a potentially deadly situation.
Strong social bonds could improve the coordination and efficiency of defence against predators and therefore increase the chances of survival of individuals.
A very special project developed in collaboration with Marwell Wildlife has led to the opening of the world’s first cognitive study centre for Sulawesi crested macaques.
This centre allows the scientists to have an additional window into macaque psychology.
The overall aim is to try to investigate the roots of social communication and to gain a better understanding as to how animals use different behavior to interact with each other.
Humans use social communication all the time, we don’t just communicate with language, we communicate with our face, hands and body. Studying how these animals interpret particular social behaviors like facial expressions, vocalizations and body postures could give us an opportunity to achieve a better understanding of social communications within our own species.
The facility built in the zoological park, and on direct public view, allows the monkeys to use touch screen technology to make choices and match signals.
This offers the possibility to ask scientific questions that cannot be addressed by observational studies alone, providing an opportunity to further explore the understanding of these fascinating animals.
For more information:
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/psychology/latestnews/title,147388,en.html