Affective bodily responses in monkeys predict subsequent pessimism, but not vice versa

Area of Science:

• Comparative psychology
• Primate behavior
• Affective neuroscience

Background:

• The James-Lange theory proposes bodily responses precede affective experience, but is understudied in non-human animals.
• Affect involves behavior, physiology, cognition, and subjective feelings, with complex interrelationships.
• Understanding affect in animals offers insights into evolutionary continuity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between peripheral bodily responses and cognitive information processing in Japanese macaques.
• To test if bodily responses, like self-scratching, precede or follow changes in cognitive bias.
• To explore the applicability of the James-Lange theory in non-human primates.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a judgement bias test in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).
• Focused on self-scratching as a measure of negative affect.
• Assessed shifts in cognitive information-processing modes, specifically 'pessimistic' judgement bias.

Main Results:

• Self-scratching significantly predicted subsequent pessimistic judgements in macaques.
• Pessimistic judgements did not predict subsequent self-scratching, indicating directionality.
• Findings support the hypothesis that bodily responses influence cognitive modes.

Conclusions:

• Peripheral bodily responses, such as self-scratching, can shape cognitive processes in non-human primates.
• The study provides comparative evidence for the James-Lange theory in primate affective systems.
• Results enhance understanding of the biological underpinnings and adaptive significance of affect across species.