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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral neuroscience
  • Comparative psychology
  • Primate cognition

Background:

  • Humans exhibit performance deficits under pressure, known as choking.
  • Physiological stress responses linked to choking are conserved in primates.
  • It remains unclear if non-human primates experience pressure-related performance effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if capuchin monkeys exhibit performance changes under pressure.
  • To identify physiological correlates of pressure-induced performance variations in primates.
  • To understand the evolutionary basis of choking behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Capuchin monkeys were trained on a computer game with distinct high- and low-pressure trials.
  • Monkeys were tested under high-pressure conditions without changes in task difficulty.
  • Baseline cortisol levels were measured and correlated with performance differences.

Main Results:

  • Monkeys showed individual variability in performance under pressure, with some worsening and others improving.
  • Performance improved with increased experience under pressure.
  • Lower baseline cortisol levels were associated with poorer performance on high-pressure trials.

Conclusions:

  • Performance deficits or improvements under pressure are not unique to humans.
  • Evolutionarily conserved biological factors contribute to pressure-related performance effects.
  • Lack of experience with pressure may interact with stress to induce choking-like behavior.