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Published on: March 16, 2015
Spontaneous synchronized tapping to an auditory rhythm in a chimpanzee
Yuko Hattori1, Masaki Tomonaga, Tetsuro Matsuzawa
1Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University. hattori.yuko.3w@kyoto-u.ac.jp
Scientific Reports
|March 29, 2013
Summary
Chimpanzees spontaneously synchronize movement with auditory rhythms, suggesting this behavior predates human evolution. This finding offers insights into the evolutionary origins of synchronous activity and social bonding.
Area of Science:
- Primate Behavior
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Humans exhibit behavioral synchrony (e.g., dancing, singing) for affiliation, even unconsciously with music.
- The evolutionary origins of human synchronous activity, potentially linked to group living, remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of spontaneous auditory-rhythm synchronization in chimpanzees, our closest living relatives.
- To explore the evolutionary roots of synchronous movement and its potential link to social behavior.
Main Methods:
- A chimpanzee was trained to tap illuminated keys on an electric keyboard.
- The chimpanzee's tapping behavior was observed when presented with an isochronous distractor sound.
Main Results:
- The chimpanzee spontaneously aligned her key-tapping movements with the auditory rhythm of the distractor sound.
- This demonstrates a natural tendency for movement synchronization with auditory rhythms in chimpanzees.
Conclusions:
- Chimpanzees possess sensitivity to and a tendency for synchronous movement with auditory rhythms.
- This suggests that the capacity for auditory-motor synchronization may be an ancient trait, with humans elaborating upon it for complex communication.
