Social learning of nut-cracking behavior in East African sanctuary-living chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii).
Nut cracking is restricted to communities of wild chimpanzees living in West Africa, suggesting it is an example of a socially transmitted tradition. Detailed study of the acquisition of nut cracking in wild chimpanzees is consistent with this conclusion. However, only 2, small-scale experiments have been carried out in captivity to explore the role of social transmission in the acquisition of this behavior. The study presented here does this with a comparatively larger, statistically viable sample of 11 sanctuary-living chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii), permitting both between- and within-subjects experimental manipulations. Results confirmed that nut cracking can be acquired in a matter of days by social learning, but only in chimpanzees 3 to 4 years old and older. Direct comparisons are made with a study carried out in the wild, revealing striking similarities in developmental profiles.
Marshall-Pescini
Sarah
S
Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland. sarah.marshall@unimi.it
Whiten
Andrew
A
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001070:Appetitive Behavior; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D005794:Generalization, Response; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D009754:Nuts; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000523:psychology*; D011340:Problem Solving; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012931:Social Environment; D014828:Vocalization, Animal