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When and how do non-human great apes communicate to support cooperation?

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Area of Science:

  • Primate communication
  • Comparative psychology
  • Evolution of language

Background:

  • Human language may stem from cooperation needs.
  • Great ape communication in joint actions is understudied.
  • Assumptions of manipulation and competition in ape communication persist.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate great ape communication during joint action tasks.
  • Examine factors influencing communication likelihood and type.
  • Assess intentionality in ape communication production and reception.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental cooperative tasks involving great apes.
  • Analysis of situational challenges and knowledge asymmetry.
  • Evaluation of physical proximity and social bond effects.

Main Results:

  • Communication likelihood is affected by task challenges and knowledge asymmetry.
  • Proximity and social bonds influence communication occurrence and type.
  • Apes demonstrate intentionality in producing signals, but recipients struggle with interpretation.

Conclusions:

  • Situational factors and social relationships modulate great ape communication.
  • An asymmetry exists between signal production and reception.
  • Further research can clarify cooperation's role in shaping ape communication.