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Object use in communication of semi-wild chimpanzees
Violet Gibson1, Sarah T Boysen2, Catherine Hobaiter3
1Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, UK.
Animal Cognition
|June 14, 2023
Summary
Chimpanzees use objects to communicate socially, adjusting their actions based on who is watching and group behavior. This offers insights into the evolution of communication and tool use.
Area of Science:
- Primate behavior
- Evolutionary anthropology
- Animal communication
Background:
- Object interaction is key in human communication.
- Understanding object use in nonhuman primates is crucial for evolutionary insights.
- The role of objects in primate social interactions is largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how semi-wild chimpanzees use objects in social interactions.
- To determine if object use is influenced by recipient attention and social group.
- To explore the evolutionary origins of object use in communication.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of naturally occurring object actions in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).
- Analysis of object type and action modality in relation to recipient's visual attention.
- Assessment of object action production influenced by colony membership.
Main Results:
- Chimpanzees modify object choice and action type based on recipient's visual attention.
- Targeted object actions show variations related to colony membership.
- Evidence suggests objects are used communicatively in diverse ways by chimpanzees.
Conclusions:
- Chimpanzees utilize objects communicatively, adapting their actions to social contexts.
- Social factors, including attention and group dynamics, shape object use in chimpanzees.
- Findings contribute to understanding the evolution of nonverbal communication, language, and tool use.
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