By Stephen Beech via SWNS
Friendly behavior is “contagious” among chimpanzees, according to a new study.
The primates are more likely to groom or play with each other if they see others do it first, say scientists.
They explained that whether it’s yawning or keeping watch for predators, many animals – including apes and ravens – find certain behaviors contagious.
The so-called “behavioral contagion” is thought to help animal groups reinforce their social bonds and stay in sync.
Chimps’ behavior and emotions can be influenced by those around them, but whether they experience contagion of friendly social behaviors, such as grooming and play, had not previously been investigated.
To find out, Durham University researchers observed the habits of 41 chimpanzees living in the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia.
Their ground-breaking study, published in the journal PLOS One, showed that chimps of all ages, ranks and sexes showed contagion of grooming and playful behaviors.
Chimps were more likely to find grooming behavior contagious when they observed it in another individual that they had a close relationship with.
Play behavior was seen to be more contagious in younger chimps, but the contagion was unaffected by the strength of the social bond.
The research team believes the contagious nature of friendly behavior – such as grooming and play – may help to strengthen social bonds.
They say there are several possible explanations for why adult chimps find the behavior of individuals they have a close social relationship with more contagious.
They may pay more attention to or be more strongly influenced by their close friends, or seeing a close friend grooming someone else may cause jealousy.
Study lead author Georgia Sandars said: “Chimpanzees ‘catch’ social behavior from each other.
“They are more likely to start grooming and playing after having just seen others groom and play.”
The research team believes the processes in chimps could provide a model for understanding the evolutionary roots of human social behavior and empathy.
Sanders, a postgraduate researcher at Durham University, added: “Researching basic social processes in chimpanzees allows us to better understand healthy social functioning in our ape relatives, and gives insights into the evolution of human sociality.”
