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Schweinfurth MK, Baldridge DB, Finnerty K, Call J, Knoblich GK. Inter-individual coordination in walking chimpanzees. Curr Biol 2022; 32:5138-5143.e3. [PMID: 36270278 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Humans, like many other animals, live in groups and coordinate actions with others in social settings.1 Such interpersonal coordination may emerge unconsciously and when the goal is not the coordination of movements, as when falling into the same rhythm when walking together.2 Although one of our closest living relatives, the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), shows the ability to succeed in complex joint action tasks where coordination is the goal,3 little is known about simpler forms of joint action. Here, we examine whether chimpanzees spontaneously synchronize their actions with conspecifics while walking together. We collected data on individual walking behavior of two groups of chimpanzees under semi-natural conditions. In addition, we assessed social relationships to investigate potential effects on the strength of coordination. When walking with a conspecific, individuals walked faster than when alone. The relative phase was symmetrically distributed around 0° with the highest frequencies around 0, indicating a tendency to coordinate actions. Further, coordination was stronger when walking with a partner compared with two individuals walking independently. Although the inter-limb entrainment was more pronounced between individuals of similar age as a proxy for height, it was not affected by the kinship or bonding status of the walkers or the behaviors they engaged in immediately after the walk. We conclude that chimpanzees adapt their individual behavior to temporally coordinate actions with others, which might provide a basis for engaging in other more complex forms of joint action. This spontaneous form of inter-individual coordination, often called entrainment, is thus shared with humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K Schweinfurth
- University of St Andrews, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, KY16 9JP St Andrews, Scotland.
| | - Dylan B Baldridge
- University of St Andrews, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, KY16 9JP St Andrews, Scotland
| | - Kyle Finnerty
- University of St Andrews, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, KY16 9JP St Andrews, Scotland
| | - Josep Call
- University of St Andrews, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, KY16 9JP St Andrews, Scotland
| | - Günther K Knoblich
- Central European University, Social Mind and Body group, 1100 Wien, Austria
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2
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K. Schweinfurth
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience University of St Andrews St Andrews Scotland
- Department of Behavioural Ecology University of Bern Hinterkappelen Switzerland
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3
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Gerber N, Schweinfurth MK, Taborsky M. The smell of cooperation: rats increase helpful behaviour when receiving odour cues of a conspecific performing a cooperative task. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202327. [PMID: 33234081 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Reciprocity can explain cooperative behaviour among non-kin, where individuals help others depending on their experience in previous interactions. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) cooperate reciprocally according to direct and generalized reciprocity. In a sequence of four consecutive experiments, we show that odour cues from a cooperating conspecific are sufficient to induce the altruistic help of rats in a food-exchange task. When rats were enabled to help a non-cooperative partner while receiving olfactory information from a rat helping a conspecific in a different room, they helped their non-cooperative partner as if it was a cooperative one. We further show that the cues inducing altruistic behaviour are released during the act of cooperation and do not depend on the identity of the cue provider. Remarkably, olfactory cues seem to be more important for cooperation decisions than experiencing a cooperative act per se. This suggests that rats may signal their cooperation propensity to social partners, which increases their chances to receive help in return.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Gerber
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Wildlife Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Manon K Schweinfurth
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Abstract
The Norway rat has important impacts on our life. They are amongst the most used research subjects, resulting in ground-breaking advances. At the same time, wild rats live in close association with us, leading to various adverse interactions. In face of this relevance, it is surprising how little is known about their natural behaviour. While recent laboratory studies revealed their complex social skills, little is known about their social behaviour in the wild. An integration of these different scientific approaches is crucial to understand their social life, which will enable us to design more valid research paradigms, develop more effective management strategies, and to provide better welfare standards. Hence, I first summarise the literature on their natural social behaviour. Second, I provide an overview of recent developments concerning their social cognition. Third, I illustrate why an integration of these areas would be beneficial to optimise our interactions with them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K Schweinfurth
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUnited Kingdom
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Schweinfurth MK, Taborsky M. Rats play tit-for-tat instead of integrating social experience over multiple interactions. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192423. [PMID: 31937222 PMCID: PMC7003459 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Theoretical models of cooperation typically assume that agents use simple rules based on last encounters, such as 'tit-for-tat', to reciprocate help. By contrast, empiricists generally suppose that animals integrate multiple experiences over longer timespans. Here, we compared these two alternative hypotheses by exposing Norway rats to partners that cooperated on three consecutive days but failed to cooperate on the fourth day, and to partners that did the exact opposite. In additional controls, focal rats experienced cooperating and defecting partners only once. In a bar-pulling setup, focal rats based their decision to provide partners with food on last encounters instead of overall cooperation levels. To check whether this might be owing to a lack of memory capacity, we tested whether rats remember the outcome of encounters that had happened three days before. Cooperation was not diminished by the intermediate time interval. We conclude that rats reciprocate help mainly based on most recent encounters instead of integrating social experience over longer timespans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K. Schweinfurth
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
- Behavioural Ecology, University of Bern, Wohlenstr. 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Behavioural Ecology, University of Bern, Wohlenstr. 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
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Abstract
Reciprocity is probably one of the most debated theories in evolutionary research. After more than 40 years of research, some scientists conclude that reciprocity is an almost uniquely human trait mainly because it is cognitively demanding. Others, however, conclude that reciprocity is widespread and of great importance to many species. Yet, it is unclear how these species reciprocate, given its apparent cognitive complexity. Therefore, our aim was to unravel the psychological processes underlying reciprocity. By bringing together findings from studies investigating different aspects of reciprocity, we show that reciprocity is a rich concept with different behavioural strategies and cognitive mechanisms that require very different psychological processes. We reviewed evidence from three textbook examples, i.e. the Norway rat, common vampire bat and brown capuchin monkey, and show that the species use different strategies and mechanisms to reciprocate. We continue by examining the psychological processes of reciprocity. We show that the cognitive load varies between different forms of reciprocity. Several factors can lower the memory demands of reciprocity such as distinctiveness of encounters, memory of details and network size. Furthermore, there are different information operation systems in place, which also vary in their cognitive load due to assessing the number of encounters and the quality and quantity of help. We conclude that many species possess the psychological processes to show some form of reciprocity. Hence, reciprocity might be a widespread phenomenon that varies in terms of strategies and mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K Schweinfurth
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, KY16 9JP, St Andrews, Scotland.
| | - Josep Call
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, KY16 9JP, St Andrews, Scotland
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Schweinfurth MK, DeTroy SE, van Leeuwen EJC, Call J, Haun DBM. Spontaneous social tool use in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 132:455-463. [PMID: 30451529 DOI: 10.1037/com0000127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Although there is good evidence that social animals show elaborate cognitive skills to deal with others, there are few reports of animals physically using social agents and their respective responses as means to an end-social tool use. In this case study, we investigated spontaneous and repeated social tool use behavior in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). We presented a group of chimpanzees with an apparatus, in which pushing two buttons would release juice from a distantly located fountain. Consequently, any one individual could only either push the buttons or drink from the fountain but never push and drink simultaneously. In this scenario, an adult male attempted to retrieve three other individuals and push them toward the buttons that, if pressed, released juice from the fountain. With this strategy, the social tool user increased his juice intake 10-fold. Interestingly, the strategy was stable over time, which was possibly enabled by playing with the social tools. With over 100 instances, we provide the biggest data set on social tool use recorded among nonhuman animals so far. The repeated use of other individuals as social tools may represent a complex social skill linked to Machiavellian intelligence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K Schweinfurth
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Origins of Mind, University of St Andrew
| | - Sarah E DeTroy
- Faculty of Education, Department of Early Child Development and Culture and Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, University of Leipzig
| | - Edwin J C van Leeuwen
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Origins of Mind, University of St Andrews
| | - Josep Call
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Origins of Mind, University of St Andrew
| | - Daniel B M Haun
- Faculty of Education, Department of Early Child Development, University of Leipzig
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Altschul DM, Beran MJ, Bohn M, Call J, DeTroy S, Duguid SJ, Egelkamp CL, Fichtel C, Fischer J, Flessert M, Hanus D, Haun DBM, Haux LM, Hernandez-Aguilar RA, Herrmann E, Hopper LM, Joly M, Kano F, Keupp S, Melis AP, Motes Rodrigo A, Ross SR, Sánchez-Amaro A, Sato Y, Schmitt V, Schweinfurth MK, Seed AM, Taylor D, Völter CJ, Warren E, Watzek J. Establishing an infrastructure for collaboration in primate cognition research. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223675. [PMID: 31648222 PMCID: PMC6812783 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Inferring the evolutionary history of cognitive abilities requires large and diverse samples. However, such samples are often beyond the reach of individual researchers or institutions, and studies are often limited to small numbers of species. Consequently, methodological and site-specific-differences across studies can limit comparisons between species. Here we introduce the ManyPrimates project, which addresses these challenges by providing a large-scale collaborative framework for comparative studies in primate cognition. To demonstrate the viability of the project we conducted a case study of short-term memory. In this initial study, we were able to include 176 individuals from 12 primate species housed at 11 sites across Africa, Asia, North America and Europe. All subjects were tested in a delayed-response task using consistent methodology across sites. Individuals could access food rewards by remembering the position of the hidden reward after a 0, 15, or 30-second delay. Overall, individuals performed better with shorter delays, as predicted by previous studies. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a strong phylogenetic signal for short-term memory. Although, with only 12 species, the validity of this analysis is limited, our initial results demonstrate the feasibility of a large, collaborative open-science project. We present the ManyPrimates project as an exciting opportunity to address open questions in primate cognition and behaviour with large, diverse datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael J. Beran
- Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Manuel Bohn
- Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Josep Call
- University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | | | - Shona J. Duguid
- Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | | | - Claudia Fichtel
- German Primate Center and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Julia Fischer
- German Primate Center and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Molly Flessert
- Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Daniel Hanus
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel B. M. Haun
- Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lou M. Haux
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - R. Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Herrmann
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lydia M. Hopper
- Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Marine Joly
- University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | | | - Stefanie Keupp
- German Primate Center and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alicia P. Melis
- Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | | | - Stephen R. Ross
- Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Alejandro Sánchez-Amaro
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | | | - Vanessa Schmitt
- Heidelberg Zoo & University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Derry Taylor
- University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - Christoph J. Völter
- University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Julia Watzek
- Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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Schweinfurth MK, Call J. Revisiting the possibility of reciprocal help in non-human primates. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 104:73-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Schweinfurth MK, Taborsky M. Reciprocal Trading of Different Commodities in Norway Rats. Curr Biol 2019; 28:594-599.e3. [PMID: 29398215 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.12.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of reciprocal cooperation in non-human animals is hotly debated [1, 2]. Part of this dispute rests on the assumption that reciprocity means paying like with like [3]. However, exchanges between social partners may involve different commodities and services. Hitherto, there is no experimental evidence that animals other than primates exchange different commodities among conspecifics based on the decision rules of direct reciprocity. Here, we show that Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) apply direct reciprocity rules when exchanging two different social services: food provisioning and allogrooming. Focal rats were made to experience partners either cooperating or non-cooperating in one of the two commodities. Afterward, they had the opportunity to reciprocate favors by the alternative service. Test rats traded allogrooming against food provisioning, and vice versa, thereby acting by the rules of direct reciprocity. This might indicate that reciprocal altruism among non-human animals is much more widespread than currently assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K Schweinfurth
- University of Bern, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Behavioural Ecology, Wohlenstr. 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland; University of St Andrews, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, Westburn Lane, KY16 9JP St Andrews, Scotland.
| | - Michael Taborsky
- University of Bern, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Behavioural Ecology, Wohlenstr. 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland.
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Schweinfurth MK, Aeschbacher J, Santi M, Taborsky M. Male Norway rats cooperate according to direct but not generalized reciprocity rules. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Abstract
Kin selection and reciprocity are two mechanisms underlying the evolution of cooperation, but the relative importance of kinship and reciprocity for decisions to cooperate are yet unclear for most cases of cooperation. Here, we experimentally tested the relative importance of relatedness and received cooperation for decisions to help a conspecific in wild-type Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus). Test rats provided more food to non-kin than to siblings, and they generally donated more food to previously helpful social partners than to those that had refused help. The rats thus applied reciprocal cooperation rules irrespective of relatedness, highlighting the importance of reciprocal help for cooperative interactions among both related and unrelated conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K Schweinfurth
- Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland .,School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, Westburn Lane, KY16 9JP St Andrews, UK
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
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Abstract
Reciprocal cooperation has been observed in a wide range of taxa, but the proximate mechanisms underlying the exchange of help are yet unclear. Norway rats reciprocate help received from partners in an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game. For donors, this involves accepting own costs to the benefit of a partner, without obtaining immediate benefits in return. We studied whether such altruistic acts are conditional on the communication of the recipient's need. Our results show that in a 2-player mutual food-provisioning task, prospective recipients show a behavioral cascade reflecting increasing intensity. First, prospective receivers reach out for the food themselves, then they emit ultrasonic calls toward their partner, before finally showing noisy attention-grabbing behaviors. Food-deprived individuals communicate need more intensively than satiated ones. In return, donors provide help corresponding to the intensity of the recipients' communication. This indicates that rats communicate their need, which changes the helping propensity of potential donors. Communication of need and corresponding adjustment of cooperation may be a widespread proximate mechanism explaining the mutual exchange of services between animals. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K Schweinfurth
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon K. Schweinfurth
- Department of Behavioural Ecology; Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Hinterkappelen Switzerland
| | - Michael Taborsky
- Department of Behavioural Ecology; Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Hinterkappelen Switzerland
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