Stimulus enhancement and spread of a spontaneous tool use in a colony of long-tailed macaques

Klaus Zuberbuhler, L Gygax, N Harley, H Kummer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In a captive group of long-tailed macaques, tool-using behavior by a single competent individual had a significant effect on the synchronous manipulative behavior of naive animals. Group members engaged in manipulations on the same object class more frequently during times when the model was working than when it was not. The form of their behavior, however, in no way resembled the technique used by the model. All three animals that later became successful tool users were among the few subjects that exhibited a significant increase in manipulations on the same object class while the model was working. Possible causal relationships between this stimulus enhancement and the transmission of the new behavior to other group members are analyzed and discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-12
Number of pages12
JournalPrimates
Volume37
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 1996

Keywords

  • non-human primates
  • Macaca fascicularis
  • social learning
  • stimulus enhancement
  • tool use
  • IMITATION

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Stimulus enhancement and spread of a spontaneous tool use in a colony of long-tailed macaques'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this