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Spontaneous social tool use in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Manon K Schweinfurth1, Sarah E DeTroy2, Edwin J C van Leeuwen3
1School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Origins of Mind, University of St Andrew.
Journal of Comparative Psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)
|November 20, 2018
Summary
Chimpanzees demonstrate social tool use by directing others to operate a juice-dispensing apparatus. This behavior significantly increased the individual
Area of Science:
- Primate Cognition
- Animal Behavior
- Social Learning
Background:
- Social animals exhibit complex cognitive abilities for interaction.
- Social tool use, where animals use others as tools, is rarely documented.
- Understanding social tool use sheds light on advanced cognitive processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate spontaneous and repeated social tool use in chimpanzees.
- To analyze the cognitive mechanisms underlying social tool use.
- To contribute to the understanding of 'Machiavellian intelligence' in non-human animals.
Main Methods:
- A novel apparatus was designed to necessitate social interaction for reward.
- Chimpanzees were presented with a scenario requiring coordinated button-pressing for juice.
- Observed and recorded instances of an individual using others as social tools.
Main Results:
- An adult male chimpanzee repeatedly directed other individuals to press buttons.
- This social tool use strategy increased the individual's juice intake tenfold.
- The behavior was stable over time, suggesting a learned or ingrained strategy.
Conclusions:
- Chimpanzees exhibit sophisticated social tool use, employing others to achieve goals.
- This behavior provides substantial evidence for complex social cognition in chimpanzees.
- Social tool use in chimpanzees may be linked to advanced strategic thinking and intelligence.
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