Social learning of artificial fruit processing in eight species of primates

Deborah M. Custance and A. Whiten

University of London, UK

Social learning, especially imitation, has been a focus of interest in comparative psychology for over 100 years. In collaboration with a number of colleagues, we have conducted a series of experiments that compare social learning in eight species of primates: human children (Homo sapiens), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus), olive baboons (Papio anubis), pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina), capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella), and common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). All these species were presented with an artificial fruit that they had seen being opened by a model using one of two alternative methods. Some degree of matching was found beyond 'mere' stimulus enhancement (where an observer has its attention brought to salient stimuli by a model, but devises its own behavioural response) in humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, baboons and marmosets. The extent to which these effects should be considered to be imitation, and the implied underlying cognitive complexity, will be discussed.

Custance, Deborah M.

Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths College, University of London

New Cross, SE14 6NW, UK

d.custance@gold.ac.uk