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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 27, 2025

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
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Marmoset prosociality is intentional.

Judith M Burkart1, Carel P van Schaik2

  • 1Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland. judith.burkart@aim.uzh.ch.

Animal Cognition
|February 29, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Marmoset monkeys exhibit intentional prosocial behavior, similar to humans. Their helping actions are flexible, audience-dependent, and goal-directed, suggesting voluntary control.

Keywords:
Audience effectsCommon marmosets (callithrix jacchus)FlexibilityGoal-directednessIntentionalityProactive prosociality

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Area of Science:

  • Primate behavior
  • Comparative psychology
  • Evolutionary anthropology

Background:

  • Marmoset monkeys display high levels of proactive prosociality, a trait shared with humans.
  • Allomaternal care is a proposed evolutionary driver for prosociality in both species.
  • The proximate mechanisms, particularly intentionality, underlying marmoset prosociality remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if marmoset prosociality meets the criteria for intentionality.
  • To compare the intentional control of prosocial behavior in marmosets and humans.

Main Methods:

  • Observational studies of marmoset social interactions.
  • Analysis of prosocial behavior flexibility, audience effects, and goal-directedness.
  • Assessment of reactions to goal-failure in prosocial actions.

Main Results:

  • Marmoset prosocial behavior demonstrated flexibility in means and goal achievement.
  • Prosocial actions were influenced by the presence of potential recipients (audience effect).
  • Behavior was goal-directed, ceasing upon goal attainment and showing distinct reactions to goal failure.

Conclusions:

  • Marmoset prosociality appears to be under a degree of voluntary, intentional control.
  • Findings align with marmosets perceiving conspecifics as intentional agents.
  • Prosocial behavior is fundamentally under voluntary control in marmosets, akin to humans.