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Alexander Weiss - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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divergent personality structures of brown Sapajus apella and white faced capuchins cebus capucinus
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2016Co-Authors: Lauren M. Robinson, Annika Paukner, Sarah F. Brosnan, Blake F Morton, Jane Widness, Jennifer L Essler, Marieke Cassia Gartner, Alexander WeissAbstract:: One way to gain insights into personality evolution is by comparing the personality structures of related species. We compared the personality structure of 240 wild white-faced capuchin monkeys to the personality structure of 100 captive brown capuchin monkeys. An ancillary goal was to test the degree to which different personality questionnaires yielded similar personality dimensions. Both species were rated on a common set of 26 antonym pairs. The brown capuchin monkeys were also rated on the 54-item Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. Our cross-species comparisons revealed 3 personality dimensions-Assertiveness, Openness, and Neuroticism-shared by brown and white-faced capuchins, suggesting that these dimensions were present in the common ancestor of these species. Our comparison of the dimensions derived from the antonym pairs and the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire revealed that three common dimensions were identified by both questionnaires. In addition, the dimension Attentiveness was only identified using the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. These results indicate that major features of capuchin personality are conserved and that the structure of some traits, such as those related to focus, persistence, and attention, diverged. Further work is needed to identify the evolutionary bases that led to the conservation of some dimensions but not others. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Happiness is positive welfare in brown capuchins (Sapajus apella)
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2016Co-Authors: Lauren M. Robinson, Annika Paukner, Eric V. Lonsdorf, Natalie Waran, Matthew C. Leach, F. Blake Morton, Ian Handel, Vanessa A. D. Wilson, Sarah F. Brosnan, Alexander WeissAbstract:Abstract Questionnaires that allow people who are familiar with individual animals to rate the welfare of these animals are an underutilised tool. We designed a 12-item welfare questionnaire and tested its reliability and associations with subjective well-being (SWB), locomotor stereotypy, and personality traits. The welfare questionnaire included questions relating to physical health, stress and coping, satisfaction with social relationships, psychological stimulation, and the display of positive and negative welfare indicators. We collected ratings of 66 brown capuchins ( Sapajus apella ) living in three facilities. Each capuchin was rated on the welfare questionnaire by an average of 2.8 raters. The interrater reliability of the welfare questionnaire items ranged from ICC(3, k ) 0.51 to 0.86. A principal components analysis indicated that the 12 welfare items loaded onto one component. We repeated this process with the welfare and four items used to measure subjective well-being and found all the items were defined by a single component (welfareSWB). We then conducted three sets of analyses, one predicting the welfare component, one predicting the SWB component, and predicting the welfareSWB component. The independent variables were frequency of locomotor stereotypy, personality, age, and sex; facility was included as a random effect. In models including stereotypy, age, and sex we found frequency of stereotypy to be significantly associated with all three predicted components (ps b =−0.25, p=0.17), age ( b =−0.54, p=0.01), and sex ( b =−0.32, p=0.07), the personality traits of Sociability ( b =1.02, p b =0.63, p b =0.54, p=0.01) were associated with higher scores on the joint welfareSWB component; Neuroticism was negatively associated with welfare SWB ( b =−0.60, p=0.01). Our results suggest that welfare questionnaires is a useful, reliable, and valid tool for primate welfare assessment.
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personality structure in brown capuchin monkeys Sapajus apella comparisons with chimpanzees pan troglodytes orangutans pongo spp and rhesus macaques macaca mulatta
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2013Co-Authors: Blake F Morton, Bernard Thierry, Annika Paukner, Frans B. M. De Waal, Sarah F. Brosnan, Hannah M Buchanansmith, Jane Widness, Jennifer L Essler, Alexander WeissAbstract:Personality, defined here as consistent individual differences in behavior (Carere & Eens, 2005), has been studied in many animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates (Gosling, 2001). Personality in nonhuman species has sometimes been labeled as “noise” deviating from behavioral norms. However, research shows that such traits are heritable (Adams, King, & Weiss, 2012; van Oers, de Jong, van Noordwijk, Kempenaers, & Drent, 2005), stable over time and across contexts (Bell, Hankison, & Laskowski, 2009; Capitanio, 1999; Stevenson-Hinde, Stillwell-Barnes, & Zunz, 1980; Uher, Asendorpf, & Call, 2008; Weiss, Adams, Widdig, & Gerald, 2011), and predict life history patterns (e.g., metabolic rate, reproduction, health, and longevity; Capitanio, 2011; Careau, Bininda-Emonds, Thomas, Reale, & Humphries, 2009; Cavigelli, Bennett, Michael, & Klein, 2008; Reale, Martin, Coltman, Poissant, & Festa-Bianchet, 2009; Weiss, Gartner, Gold, & Stoinski, 2012). Personality traits (e.g. curious, fearful, and aggressive) tend to cluster into one or more broader dimensions. An individual’s score on a given dimension corresponds to their position along a particular behavioral continuum (e.g., the shy-bold axis; Wilson, Clark, Coleman, & Dearstyne, 1994). When assessed using standardized methods, comparisons of personality structure across species may help researchers address questions about the phylogeny and evolution of personality (Gosling & Graybeal, 2007). In the case of nonhuman primates (hereafter ‘primates’), King and Figueredo (1997) reported that chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) personality is comprised of a species-specific dimension, Dominance, and five dimensions similar to those found in many human personality studies – Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Openness (e.g., Digman, 1990; Eysenck, 1970; Lee, Ogunfowora, & Ashton, 2005). A study of orangutans (Pongo spp.) using the same scale found dimensions resembling chimpanzee Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Dominance (Weiss, King, & Perkins, 2006). However, instead of the distinct Conscientiousness and Openness dimensions found in chimpanzees, orangutans have a dimension, Intellect, comprised of traits associated with both. More recently, a study of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) using a comparable instrument found dimensions similar to chimpanzee Openness and chimpanzee/orangutan Dominance (Weiss, et al., 2011). However, unlike chimpanzees and orangutans, rhesus macaques do not have dimensions resembling Extraversion or Neuroticism; rather, traits shared with these dimensions are classified under dimensions labeled Activity (e.g. innovative and playful), Friendliness (e.g. affectionate, sociable, sensitive), Confidence (e.g. stable, dominant, cool), and Anxiety (e.g. impulsive, anxious, erratic). These findings suggest that some personality dimensions may be phylogenetically old and shared across species (e.g. Dominance-like dimensions), while others may have evolved more recently (e.g. Conscientiousness and Intellect). To date, research on personality has predominantly been limited to catarrhines, that is apes, including humans, and Old World monkeys (Freeman & Gosling 2010). Platyrrhines (New World monkeys) are only distantly related to catarrhine species, sharing a common ancestor about 43 million years ago (Steiper & Young, 2006). However, some New World species exhibit behavioral and cognitive similarities to catarrhine species, particularly capuchin monkeys (Cebus and Sapajus spp.) and spider monkeys (Ateles spp.) (Amici, Aureli, & Call, 2008; Deaner, van Schaik, & Johnson, 2006; Fragaszy, Visalberghi, & Fedigan, 2004). Thus, comparative studies of personality in Old and New World species may help identify variables within the natural and social world of primates that contribute to personality evolution. In this study, we examined personality structure in a New World primate, the brown capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella, formerly Cebus apella; Alfaro, Silva, & Rylands, 2012). We first derived personality structure in brown capuchins using observer ratings, and examined its association with systematically recorded behaviors. We then compared personality structure in brown capuchins to those reported in chimpanzees, orangutans, and rhesus macaques – all of which were rated using the same or similar scale. Ratings of brown capuchin monkeys on individual personality traits have been associated with cortisol reactivity (Byrne & Suomi, 2002). Thus, human observer ratings capture biologically-meaningful information about this taxon. However, it is unknown how individual traits cluster into personality dimensions in brown capuchins, and how the structure of these dimensions compares to those of other primates. Our study was conducted contemporaneously with another study which derived personality structure in white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus; Manson & Perry, in press). Brown capuchins, chimpanzees, and orangutans have large brains relative to their body size, are extractive foragers, are very tolerant of non-kin, rely on social learning, and have “cultural” traditions (Fragaszy, Visalberghi, & Fedigan, 2004). Moreover, brown capuchins exhibit delayed gratification tolerances more like those of great apes than more closely related platyrrhines such as marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) (Addessi, Paglieri, & Focaroli, 2011). Unlike semi-solitary orangutans (Rodman, 1984), however, capuchins and chimpanzees are considerably more social and have many of the same basic properties of sociality as other group-living primates, including rhesus macaques. For example, they live in multimale-multifemale groups, have social hierarchies, provide coalitionary support to others, display post-conflict reconciliations, and frequently engage in social grooming (Fragaszy, et al., 2004; Maestripieri & Hoffman, 2012; Stanford, 1998). Thus, collectively, the behavior and cognitive traits of brown capuchins are qualitatively more like those of chimpanzees than other primate species. Individual differences in behavioral and cognitive traits are closely associated with differences in personality (reviewed in Carere & Locurto, 2011). Thus, given the behavioral and cognitive similarities between brown capuchins and great apes, we hypothesized that the personality structure of brown capuchins would overlap more with great apes – and in particular, chimpanzees – than with rhesus macaques.
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Personality structure in brown capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella): Comparisons with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo spp.), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2013Co-Authors: F. Blake Morton, Bernard Thierry, Annika Paukner, Frans B. M. De Waal, Sarah F. Brosnan, Hannah M. Buchanan-smith, Phyllis C. Lee, Jane Widness, Jennifer L Essler, Alexander WeissAbstract:Species comparisons of personality structure (i.e., how many personality dimensions and the characteristics of those dimensions) can facilitate questions about the adaptive function of personality in nonhuman primates. Here we investigate personality structure in the brown capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella), a New World primate species, and compare this structure to those of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo spp.), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Brown capuchins evolved behavioral and cognitive traits that are qualitatively similar to those of great apes, and individual differences in behavior and cognition often reflect differences in personality. Thus, we hypothesized that brown capuchin personality structure would overlap more with great apes than with rhesus macaques. We obtained personality ratings from seven sites, including 127 brown capuchin monkeys. Principal-components analysis identified five personality dimensions (Assertiveness, Openness, Neuroticism, Sociability, and Attentiveness), which were reliable across raters and, in a subset of subjects, significantly correlated with relevant behaviors up to a year later. Comparisons between species revealed that brown capuchins and great apes overlapped in personality structure, particularly chimpanzees in the case of Neuroticism. However, in some respects (i.e., capuchin Sociability and Openness) the similarities between capuchins and great apes were not significantly greater than those between capuchins and rhesus macaques. We discuss the relevance of our results to brown capuchin behavior and the evolution of personality structure in primates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).
Annika Paukner - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The role of novelty and fat and sugar concentration in food selection by captive tufted capuchins (Sapajus apella).
American Journal of Primatology, 2020Co-Authors: Benjamin Heuberger, Annika Paukner, Lauren J. Wooddell, Matt Kasman, Ross A. HammondAbstract:Capuchins, like other primates, use feedback from sensory cues and digestion to make decisions about which foods to consume and which to avoid. However, little is known about how capuchins make consumption decisions when simultaneously presented with novel and familiar foods, or how food familiarity and macronutrient concentration together influence food choice, topics with potential implications for developmental and health research. In this study, we evaluated the role of familiarity, as well as fat and sugar concentration, in the food selections of captive tufted capuchins (Sapajus apella). In the first experiment, over ten sessions, subjects were assigned to either a group that chose between one familiar and one novel food item both high in fat or sugar (high condition), or to a group that chose between one familiar and one novel food item both low in fat or sugar (low condition). In the second experiment, subjects were divided into three groups, familiarized with a food over five feeding sessions, and then offered the familiarized food and a novel food that varied in fat or sugar for 10 sessions. When offered foods high in fat, capuchins showed no clear signs of neophobia, forming an initial preference for the novel food, rejecting foods less frequently, and selecting foods faster than when offered foods low in fat. These trends were generally not observed in response to foods with sugar. When presented with options that varied in macronutrient concentration, subjects showed an initial interest in the novel food irrespective of whether it was high in fat or sugar, yet formed a final preference for the higher-concentration item. Findings suggest that the concentration of fat or sugar in novel foods may be an important mediator of exploratory behavior, and that capuchins rely on immediate feedback from taste and other sensory cues to make consumption decisions.
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Do capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) prefer symmetrical face shapes
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2017Co-Authors: Annika Paukner, Lauren J. Wooddell, Carmen E. Lefevre, Eric V. LonsdorfAbstract:In humans, facial symmetry has been linked to an individual's genetic quality, and facial symmetry has a small yet significant effect on ratings of facial attractiveness. The same evolutionary processes underlying these phenomena may also convey a selective advantage to symmetrical individuals of other primate species, yet to date, few studies have examined sensitivity to facial symmetry in nonhuman primates. Here we presented images of symmetrical and asymmetrical human and monkey faces to tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) and hypothesized that capuchins would visually prefer symmetrical faces of opposite-sex conspecifics. Instead, we found that male capuchins preferentially attended to symmetrical male conspecific faces, whereas female capuchins did not appear to discriminate between symmetrical and asymmetrical faces. These results suggest that male capuchin monkeys may use facial symmetry to judge male quality in intramale competition. (PsycINFO Database Record
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divergent personality structures of brown Sapajus apella and white faced capuchins cebus capucinus
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2016Co-Authors: Lauren M. Robinson, Annika Paukner, Sarah F. Brosnan, Blake F Morton, Jane Widness, Jennifer L Essler, Marieke Cassia Gartner, Alexander WeissAbstract:: One way to gain insights into personality evolution is by comparing the personality structures of related species. We compared the personality structure of 240 wild white-faced capuchin monkeys to the personality structure of 100 captive brown capuchin monkeys. An ancillary goal was to test the degree to which different personality questionnaires yielded similar personality dimensions. Both species were rated on a common set of 26 antonym pairs. The brown capuchin monkeys were also rated on the 54-item Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. Our cross-species comparisons revealed 3 personality dimensions-Assertiveness, Openness, and Neuroticism-shared by brown and white-faced capuchins, suggesting that these dimensions were present in the common ancestor of these species. Our comparison of the dimensions derived from the antonym pairs and the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire revealed that three common dimensions were identified by both questionnaires. In addition, the dimension Attentiveness was only identified using the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. These results indicate that major features of capuchin personality are conserved and that the structure of some traits, such as those related to focus, persistence, and attention, diverged. Further work is needed to identify the evolutionary bases that led to the conservation of some dimensions but not others. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Happiness is positive welfare in brown capuchins (Sapajus apella)
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2016Co-Authors: Lauren M. Robinson, Annika Paukner, Eric V. Lonsdorf, Natalie Waran, Matthew C. Leach, F. Blake Morton, Ian Handel, Vanessa A. D. Wilson, Sarah F. Brosnan, Alexander WeissAbstract:Abstract Questionnaires that allow people who are familiar with individual animals to rate the welfare of these animals are an underutilised tool. We designed a 12-item welfare questionnaire and tested its reliability and associations with subjective well-being (SWB), locomotor stereotypy, and personality traits. The welfare questionnaire included questions relating to physical health, stress and coping, satisfaction with social relationships, psychological stimulation, and the display of positive and negative welfare indicators. We collected ratings of 66 brown capuchins ( Sapajus apella ) living in three facilities. Each capuchin was rated on the welfare questionnaire by an average of 2.8 raters. The interrater reliability of the welfare questionnaire items ranged from ICC(3, k ) 0.51 to 0.86. A principal components analysis indicated that the 12 welfare items loaded onto one component. We repeated this process with the welfare and four items used to measure subjective well-being and found all the items were defined by a single component (welfareSWB). We then conducted three sets of analyses, one predicting the welfare component, one predicting the SWB component, and predicting the welfareSWB component. The independent variables were frequency of locomotor stereotypy, personality, age, and sex; facility was included as a random effect. In models including stereotypy, age, and sex we found frequency of stereotypy to be significantly associated with all three predicted components (ps b =−0.25, p=0.17), age ( b =−0.54, p=0.01), and sex ( b =−0.32, p=0.07), the personality traits of Sociability ( b =1.02, p b =0.63, p b =0.54, p=0.01) were associated with higher scores on the joint welfareSWB component; Neuroticism was negatively associated with welfare SWB ( b =−0.60, p=0.01). Our results suggest that welfare questionnaires is a useful, reliable, and valid tool for primate welfare assessment.
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personality and facial morphology links to assertiveness and neuroticism in capuchins Sapajus cebus apella
Personality and Individual Differences, 2014Co-Authors: Valerie Wilson, Annika Paukner, Carmen E. Lefevre, Sarah F. Brosnan, F B Morton, Timothy C BatesAbstract:Personality has important links to health, social status, and life history outcomes (e.g. longevity and reproductive success). Human facial morphology appears to signal aspects of one’s personality to others, raising questions about the evolutionary origins of such associations (e.g. signals of mate quality). Studies in non-human primates may help to achieve this goal: for instance, facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) in the male face has been associated with dominance not only in humans but also in capuchin monkeys. Here we test the association of personality (assertiveness, openness, attentiveness, neuroticism, and sociability) with fWHR, face width/lower-face height, and lower face/face height ratio in 64 capuchins (Sapajus apella). In a structural model of personality and facial metrics, fWHR was associated with assertiveness, while lower face/face height ratio was associated with neuroticism (erratic vs. stable behaviour) and attentiveness (helpfulness vs. distractibility). Facial morphology thus appears to associate with three personality domains, which may act as a signal of status in capuchins.
Bernard Thierry - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Evidence That Monkeys (Macaca tonkeana and Sapajus apella) Read Moves, but no Evidence That They Read Goals.
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2015Co-Authors: Morgane Costes-thiré, Marine Levé, Pierre Uhlrich, Arianna De Marco, Cristian Pasquaretta, Bernard ThierryAbstract:Whereas most experiments indicate that monkeys have no theory of mind, a study carried out by Wood and collaborators (2007) claimed that they can make inferences about the intentions of another individual. We applied the experimental procedure devised by these authors to investigate whether monkeys can recognize goal-directed actions. We tested 16 Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) and 12 tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella). Each subject was submitted to 24 trials in randomized order. The experimenter presented 2 containers, 1 of which was potentially baited with a food reward. After the experimenter had either intentionally or accidentally made an action on 1 of the containers, the subject was asked to select 1 of them. We found that individuals in both species failed to distinguish between accidental and intentional actions. However, they displayed a significant preference for the container touched by the experimenter in the hand conditions, and not in the elbow conditions. These results do not support those reported by Wood and collaborators, but they are consistent with other studies concluding that monkeys are not capable of mind reading
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personality structure in brown capuchin monkeys Sapajus apella comparisons with chimpanzees pan troglodytes orangutans pongo spp and rhesus macaques macaca mulatta
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2013Co-Authors: Blake F Morton, Bernard Thierry, Annika Paukner, Frans B. M. De Waal, Sarah F. Brosnan, Hannah M Buchanansmith, Jane Widness, Jennifer L Essler, Alexander WeissAbstract:Personality, defined here as consistent individual differences in behavior (Carere & Eens, 2005), has been studied in many animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates (Gosling, 2001). Personality in nonhuman species has sometimes been labeled as “noise” deviating from behavioral norms. However, research shows that such traits are heritable (Adams, King, & Weiss, 2012; van Oers, de Jong, van Noordwijk, Kempenaers, & Drent, 2005), stable over time and across contexts (Bell, Hankison, & Laskowski, 2009; Capitanio, 1999; Stevenson-Hinde, Stillwell-Barnes, & Zunz, 1980; Uher, Asendorpf, & Call, 2008; Weiss, Adams, Widdig, & Gerald, 2011), and predict life history patterns (e.g., metabolic rate, reproduction, health, and longevity; Capitanio, 2011; Careau, Bininda-Emonds, Thomas, Reale, & Humphries, 2009; Cavigelli, Bennett, Michael, & Klein, 2008; Reale, Martin, Coltman, Poissant, & Festa-Bianchet, 2009; Weiss, Gartner, Gold, & Stoinski, 2012). Personality traits (e.g. curious, fearful, and aggressive) tend to cluster into one or more broader dimensions. An individual’s score on a given dimension corresponds to their position along a particular behavioral continuum (e.g., the shy-bold axis; Wilson, Clark, Coleman, & Dearstyne, 1994). When assessed using standardized methods, comparisons of personality structure across species may help researchers address questions about the phylogeny and evolution of personality (Gosling & Graybeal, 2007). In the case of nonhuman primates (hereafter ‘primates’), King and Figueredo (1997) reported that chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) personality is comprised of a species-specific dimension, Dominance, and five dimensions similar to those found in many human personality studies – Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Openness (e.g., Digman, 1990; Eysenck, 1970; Lee, Ogunfowora, & Ashton, 2005). A study of orangutans (Pongo spp.) using the same scale found dimensions resembling chimpanzee Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Dominance (Weiss, King, & Perkins, 2006). However, instead of the distinct Conscientiousness and Openness dimensions found in chimpanzees, orangutans have a dimension, Intellect, comprised of traits associated with both. More recently, a study of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) using a comparable instrument found dimensions similar to chimpanzee Openness and chimpanzee/orangutan Dominance (Weiss, et al., 2011). However, unlike chimpanzees and orangutans, rhesus macaques do not have dimensions resembling Extraversion or Neuroticism; rather, traits shared with these dimensions are classified under dimensions labeled Activity (e.g. innovative and playful), Friendliness (e.g. affectionate, sociable, sensitive), Confidence (e.g. stable, dominant, cool), and Anxiety (e.g. impulsive, anxious, erratic). These findings suggest that some personality dimensions may be phylogenetically old and shared across species (e.g. Dominance-like dimensions), while others may have evolved more recently (e.g. Conscientiousness and Intellect). To date, research on personality has predominantly been limited to catarrhines, that is apes, including humans, and Old World monkeys (Freeman & Gosling 2010). Platyrrhines (New World monkeys) are only distantly related to catarrhine species, sharing a common ancestor about 43 million years ago (Steiper & Young, 2006). However, some New World species exhibit behavioral and cognitive similarities to catarrhine species, particularly capuchin monkeys (Cebus and Sapajus spp.) and spider monkeys (Ateles spp.) (Amici, Aureli, & Call, 2008; Deaner, van Schaik, & Johnson, 2006; Fragaszy, Visalberghi, & Fedigan, 2004). Thus, comparative studies of personality in Old and New World species may help identify variables within the natural and social world of primates that contribute to personality evolution. In this study, we examined personality structure in a New World primate, the brown capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella, formerly Cebus apella; Alfaro, Silva, & Rylands, 2012). We first derived personality structure in brown capuchins using observer ratings, and examined its association with systematically recorded behaviors. We then compared personality structure in brown capuchins to those reported in chimpanzees, orangutans, and rhesus macaques – all of which were rated using the same or similar scale. Ratings of brown capuchin monkeys on individual personality traits have been associated with cortisol reactivity (Byrne & Suomi, 2002). Thus, human observer ratings capture biologically-meaningful information about this taxon. However, it is unknown how individual traits cluster into personality dimensions in brown capuchins, and how the structure of these dimensions compares to those of other primates. Our study was conducted contemporaneously with another study which derived personality structure in white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus; Manson & Perry, in press). Brown capuchins, chimpanzees, and orangutans have large brains relative to their body size, are extractive foragers, are very tolerant of non-kin, rely on social learning, and have “cultural” traditions (Fragaszy, Visalberghi, & Fedigan, 2004). Moreover, brown capuchins exhibit delayed gratification tolerances more like those of great apes than more closely related platyrrhines such as marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) (Addessi, Paglieri, & Focaroli, 2011). Unlike semi-solitary orangutans (Rodman, 1984), however, capuchins and chimpanzees are considerably more social and have many of the same basic properties of sociality as other group-living primates, including rhesus macaques. For example, they live in multimale-multifemale groups, have social hierarchies, provide coalitionary support to others, display post-conflict reconciliations, and frequently engage in social grooming (Fragaszy, et al., 2004; Maestripieri & Hoffman, 2012; Stanford, 1998). Thus, collectively, the behavior and cognitive traits of brown capuchins are qualitatively more like those of chimpanzees than other primate species. Individual differences in behavioral and cognitive traits are closely associated with differences in personality (reviewed in Carere & Locurto, 2011). Thus, given the behavioral and cognitive similarities between brown capuchins and great apes, we hypothesized that the personality structure of brown capuchins would overlap more with great apes – and in particular, chimpanzees – than with rhesus macaques.
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Personality structure in brown capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella): Comparisons with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo spp.), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2013Co-Authors: F. Blake Morton, Bernard Thierry, Annika Paukner, Frans B. M. De Waal, Sarah F. Brosnan, Hannah M. Buchanan-smith, Phyllis C. Lee, Jane Widness, Jennifer L Essler, Alexander WeissAbstract:Species comparisons of personality structure (i.e., how many personality dimensions and the characteristics of those dimensions) can facilitate questions about the adaptive function of personality in nonhuman primates. Here we investigate personality structure in the brown capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella), a New World primate species, and compare this structure to those of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo spp.), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Brown capuchins evolved behavioral and cognitive traits that are qualitatively similar to those of great apes, and individual differences in behavior and cognition often reflect differences in personality. Thus, we hypothesized that brown capuchin personality structure would overlap more with great apes than with rhesus macaques. We obtained personality ratings from seven sites, including 127 brown capuchin monkeys. Principal-components analysis identified five personality dimensions (Assertiveness, Openness, Neuroticism, Sociability, and Attentiveness), which were reliable across raters and, in a subset of subjects, significantly correlated with relevant behaviors up to a year later. Comparisons between species revealed that brown capuchins and great apes overlapped in personality structure, particularly chimpanzees in the case of Neuroticism. However, in some respects (i.e., capuchin Sociability and Openness) the similarities between capuchins and great apes were not significantly greater than those between capuchins and rhesus macaques. We discuss the relevance of our results to brown capuchin behavior and the evolution of personality structure in primates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).
Sarah F. Brosnan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Capuchin monkeys (Cebus [Sapajus] apella) show planning in a manual maze task.
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2019Co-Authors: Laurent Prétôt, Sarah F. BrosnanAbstract:The capacity for planning in nonhuman species has long been an interest of many comparative and cognitive psychologists. There is now considerable evidence that at least great apes show both motor planning and planning for future needs in various contexts and modalities. Few studies, however, have investigated planning ability in a monkey species, and most of these exceptions have used computerized procedures. To gain a broader view, in the current study, we tested capuchin monkeys' capacity for motor planning using the "paddle-box" apparatus, a manual maze task originally designed for testing planning skills in apes (Tecwyn, Thorpe, & Chappell, 2013). This consisted of a box containing different levels of paddles that subjects rotated to drop food into a tube that delivered it to the subject. To evaluate subjects' degree of skill in the task, the initial locations of the food and the final goal (i.e., the "paths" the food could take) were chosen according to the probability of retrieving the reward, starting with those that gave the highest probability of success and moving sequentially to those with the lowest probability. Most subjects solved all levels of difficulty in the task, and capuchin monkeys succeeded as a group in a generalization test with novel paths. These findings demonstrate that some monkeys, like apes, show planning in different contexts and modalities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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divergent personality structures of brown Sapajus apella and white faced capuchins cebus capucinus
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2016Co-Authors: Lauren M. Robinson, Annika Paukner, Sarah F. Brosnan, Blake F Morton, Jane Widness, Jennifer L Essler, Marieke Cassia Gartner, Alexander WeissAbstract:: One way to gain insights into personality evolution is by comparing the personality structures of related species. We compared the personality structure of 240 wild white-faced capuchin monkeys to the personality structure of 100 captive brown capuchin monkeys. An ancillary goal was to test the degree to which different personality questionnaires yielded similar personality dimensions. Both species were rated on a common set of 26 antonym pairs. The brown capuchin monkeys were also rated on the 54-item Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. Our cross-species comparisons revealed 3 personality dimensions-Assertiveness, Openness, and Neuroticism-shared by brown and white-faced capuchins, suggesting that these dimensions were present in the common ancestor of these species. Our comparison of the dimensions derived from the antonym pairs and the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire revealed that three common dimensions were identified by both questionnaires. In addition, the dimension Attentiveness was only identified using the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. These results indicate that major features of capuchin personality are conserved and that the structure of some traits, such as those related to focus, persistence, and attention, diverged. Further work is needed to identify the evolutionary bases that led to the conservation of some dimensions but not others. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Happiness is positive welfare in brown capuchins (Sapajus apella)
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2016Co-Authors: Lauren M. Robinson, Annika Paukner, Eric V. Lonsdorf, Natalie Waran, Matthew C. Leach, F. Blake Morton, Ian Handel, Vanessa A. D. Wilson, Sarah F. Brosnan, Alexander WeissAbstract:Abstract Questionnaires that allow people who are familiar with individual animals to rate the welfare of these animals are an underutilised tool. We designed a 12-item welfare questionnaire and tested its reliability and associations with subjective well-being (SWB), locomotor stereotypy, and personality traits. The welfare questionnaire included questions relating to physical health, stress and coping, satisfaction with social relationships, psychological stimulation, and the display of positive and negative welfare indicators. We collected ratings of 66 brown capuchins ( Sapajus apella ) living in three facilities. Each capuchin was rated on the welfare questionnaire by an average of 2.8 raters. The interrater reliability of the welfare questionnaire items ranged from ICC(3, k ) 0.51 to 0.86. A principal components analysis indicated that the 12 welfare items loaded onto one component. We repeated this process with the welfare and four items used to measure subjective well-being and found all the items were defined by a single component (welfareSWB). We then conducted three sets of analyses, one predicting the welfare component, one predicting the SWB component, and predicting the welfareSWB component. The independent variables were frequency of locomotor stereotypy, personality, age, and sex; facility was included as a random effect. In models including stereotypy, age, and sex we found frequency of stereotypy to be significantly associated with all three predicted components (ps b =−0.25, p=0.17), age ( b =−0.54, p=0.01), and sex ( b =−0.32, p=0.07), the personality traits of Sociability ( b =1.02, p b =0.63, p b =0.54, p=0.01) were associated with higher scores on the joint welfareSWB component; Neuroticism was negatively associated with welfare SWB ( b =−0.60, p=0.01). Our results suggest that welfare questionnaires is a useful, reliable, and valid tool for primate welfare assessment.
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personality and facial morphology links to assertiveness and neuroticism in capuchins Sapajus cebus apella
Personality and Individual Differences, 2014Co-Authors: Valerie Wilson, Annika Paukner, Carmen E. Lefevre, Sarah F. Brosnan, F B Morton, Timothy C BatesAbstract:Personality has important links to health, social status, and life history outcomes (e.g. longevity and reproductive success). Human facial morphology appears to signal aspects of one’s personality to others, raising questions about the evolutionary origins of such associations (e.g. signals of mate quality). Studies in non-human primates may help to achieve this goal: for instance, facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) in the male face has been associated with dominance not only in humans but also in capuchin monkeys. Here we test the association of personality (assertiveness, openness, attentiveness, neuroticism, and sociability) with fWHR, face width/lower-face height, and lower face/face height ratio in 64 capuchins (Sapajus apella). In a structural model of personality and facial metrics, fWHR was associated with assertiveness, while lower face/face height ratio was associated with neuroticism (erratic vs. stable behaviour) and attentiveness (helpfulness vs. distractibility). Facial morphology thus appears to associate with three personality domains, which may act as a signal of status in capuchins.
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personality structure in brown capuchin monkeys Sapajus apella comparisons with chimpanzees pan troglodytes orangutans pongo spp and rhesus macaques macaca mulatta
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2013Co-Authors: Blake F Morton, Bernard Thierry, Annika Paukner, Frans B. M. De Waal, Sarah F. Brosnan, Hannah M Buchanansmith, Jane Widness, Jennifer L Essler, Alexander WeissAbstract:Personality, defined here as consistent individual differences in behavior (Carere & Eens, 2005), has been studied in many animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates (Gosling, 2001). Personality in nonhuman species has sometimes been labeled as “noise” deviating from behavioral norms. However, research shows that such traits are heritable (Adams, King, & Weiss, 2012; van Oers, de Jong, van Noordwijk, Kempenaers, & Drent, 2005), stable over time and across contexts (Bell, Hankison, & Laskowski, 2009; Capitanio, 1999; Stevenson-Hinde, Stillwell-Barnes, & Zunz, 1980; Uher, Asendorpf, & Call, 2008; Weiss, Adams, Widdig, & Gerald, 2011), and predict life history patterns (e.g., metabolic rate, reproduction, health, and longevity; Capitanio, 2011; Careau, Bininda-Emonds, Thomas, Reale, & Humphries, 2009; Cavigelli, Bennett, Michael, & Klein, 2008; Reale, Martin, Coltman, Poissant, & Festa-Bianchet, 2009; Weiss, Gartner, Gold, & Stoinski, 2012). Personality traits (e.g. curious, fearful, and aggressive) tend to cluster into one or more broader dimensions. An individual’s score on a given dimension corresponds to their position along a particular behavioral continuum (e.g., the shy-bold axis; Wilson, Clark, Coleman, & Dearstyne, 1994). When assessed using standardized methods, comparisons of personality structure across species may help researchers address questions about the phylogeny and evolution of personality (Gosling & Graybeal, 2007). In the case of nonhuman primates (hereafter ‘primates’), King and Figueredo (1997) reported that chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) personality is comprised of a species-specific dimension, Dominance, and five dimensions similar to those found in many human personality studies – Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Openness (e.g., Digman, 1990; Eysenck, 1970; Lee, Ogunfowora, & Ashton, 2005). A study of orangutans (Pongo spp.) using the same scale found dimensions resembling chimpanzee Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Dominance (Weiss, King, & Perkins, 2006). However, instead of the distinct Conscientiousness and Openness dimensions found in chimpanzees, orangutans have a dimension, Intellect, comprised of traits associated with both. More recently, a study of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) using a comparable instrument found dimensions similar to chimpanzee Openness and chimpanzee/orangutan Dominance (Weiss, et al., 2011). However, unlike chimpanzees and orangutans, rhesus macaques do not have dimensions resembling Extraversion or Neuroticism; rather, traits shared with these dimensions are classified under dimensions labeled Activity (e.g. innovative and playful), Friendliness (e.g. affectionate, sociable, sensitive), Confidence (e.g. stable, dominant, cool), and Anxiety (e.g. impulsive, anxious, erratic). These findings suggest that some personality dimensions may be phylogenetically old and shared across species (e.g. Dominance-like dimensions), while others may have evolved more recently (e.g. Conscientiousness and Intellect). To date, research on personality has predominantly been limited to catarrhines, that is apes, including humans, and Old World monkeys (Freeman & Gosling 2010). Platyrrhines (New World monkeys) are only distantly related to catarrhine species, sharing a common ancestor about 43 million years ago (Steiper & Young, 2006). However, some New World species exhibit behavioral and cognitive similarities to catarrhine species, particularly capuchin monkeys (Cebus and Sapajus spp.) and spider monkeys (Ateles spp.) (Amici, Aureli, & Call, 2008; Deaner, van Schaik, & Johnson, 2006; Fragaszy, Visalberghi, & Fedigan, 2004). Thus, comparative studies of personality in Old and New World species may help identify variables within the natural and social world of primates that contribute to personality evolution. In this study, we examined personality structure in a New World primate, the brown capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella, formerly Cebus apella; Alfaro, Silva, & Rylands, 2012). We first derived personality structure in brown capuchins using observer ratings, and examined its association with systematically recorded behaviors. We then compared personality structure in brown capuchins to those reported in chimpanzees, orangutans, and rhesus macaques – all of which were rated using the same or similar scale. Ratings of brown capuchin monkeys on individual personality traits have been associated with cortisol reactivity (Byrne & Suomi, 2002). Thus, human observer ratings capture biologically-meaningful information about this taxon. However, it is unknown how individual traits cluster into personality dimensions in brown capuchins, and how the structure of these dimensions compares to those of other primates. Our study was conducted contemporaneously with another study which derived personality structure in white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus; Manson & Perry, in press). Brown capuchins, chimpanzees, and orangutans have large brains relative to their body size, are extractive foragers, are very tolerant of non-kin, rely on social learning, and have “cultural” traditions (Fragaszy, Visalberghi, & Fedigan, 2004). Moreover, brown capuchins exhibit delayed gratification tolerances more like those of great apes than more closely related platyrrhines such as marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) (Addessi, Paglieri, & Focaroli, 2011). Unlike semi-solitary orangutans (Rodman, 1984), however, capuchins and chimpanzees are considerably more social and have many of the same basic properties of sociality as other group-living primates, including rhesus macaques. For example, they live in multimale-multifemale groups, have social hierarchies, provide coalitionary support to others, display post-conflict reconciliations, and frequently engage in social grooming (Fragaszy, et al., 2004; Maestripieri & Hoffman, 2012; Stanford, 1998). Thus, collectively, the behavior and cognitive traits of brown capuchins are qualitatively more like those of chimpanzees than other primate species. Individual differences in behavioral and cognitive traits are closely associated with differences in personality (reviewed in Carere & Locurto, 2011). Thus, given the behavioral and cognitive similarities between brown capuchins and great apes, we hypothesized that the personality structure of brown capuchins would overlap more with great apes – and in particular, chimpanzees – than with rhesus macaques.
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The effects of individual cubicle research on the social interactions and individual behavior of brown capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella).
American Journal of Primatology, 2015Co-Authors: Suzanne Ruby, Hannah M. Buchanan-smithAbstract:Primates are increasingly being tested individually in purpose-built research centers within zoos. The voluntary nature of research testing indicates that participation is enriching for the primate subjects, but previous studies have generally focused only on stress-related behavior, indicating that the research does not have a negative effect. Few data are available on the effects that individual research may have on social behavior, yet given primates' complex social lives and their responses to how conspecifics are treated, it is important to determine whether individual testing impacts upon their social interactions. The current study compared the social and individual behavior of 11 brown capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) between three conditions: (1) directly after undergoing individual testing, (2) a control, and (3) upon returning to the group having voluntarily left. The results indicate that individual and stress-related behaviors were affected very little by individual research testing and that social behaviors increased. However, although affiliative interactions were enhanced, aggressive interactions were also seen to increase in the condition following individual testing compared with the return to group condition. Suggestions for minimizing the negative interactions are given. Provided that these suggestions are taken into account by researchers, our results provide support for developing research centers within zoos given the important findings emerging on our closest living relatives, combined with the potentially positive effects the research has on their welfare. Am. J. Primatol. 77:1097–1108, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Taking personality selection bias seriously in animal cognition research: a case study in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella)
Animal Cognition, 2013Co-Authors: F. Blake Morton, Phyllis C. Lee, Hannah M. Buchanan-smithAbstract:In most experimental work on animal cognition, researchers attempt to control for multiple interacting variables by training subjects prior to testing, allowing subjects to participate voluntarily, and providing subjects with food rewards. However, do such methods encourage selection bias from subjects’ personalities? In this study, we trained eighteen zoo-housed capuchin monkeys ( Sapajus apella ) for two experiments, under conditions of positive reinforcement (i.e. food rewards) and free-choice participation. Using a combination of behavioral and rater-based methods, we identified and validated five personality dimensions in these capuchins (Assertiveness, Openness, Neuroticism, Sociability, and Attentiveness). Scores on Openness were positively related to individual differences in monkey task participation, reflecting previous work showing that such individuals are often more active, curious, and willing to engage in testing. We also found a negative relationship between scores on Assertiveness and performance on tasks, which may reflect the trade-offs between speed and accuracy in these animals’ decision-making. Highly Assertive individuals (the most sociable within monkey groups) may also prioritize social interactions over engaging in research. Lastly, monkeys that consistently participated and performed well on both tasks showed significantly higher Openness and lower Assertiveness compared to others, mirroring relationships found between personality, participation, and performance among all participants. Participation and performance during training was clearly biased toward individuals with particular personalities (i.e. high Openness, low Assertiveness). Results are discussed in light of the need for careful interpretation of comparative data on animal cognition and the need for researchers to take personality selection bias more seriously.
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Reliably signalling a startling husbandry event improves welfare of zoo-housed capuchins ( Sapajus apella)
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2013Co-Authors: Kristina Rimpley, Hannah M. Buchanan-smithAbstract:Abstract Animals kept in captivity are reliant on humans for their care and welfare. Enclosure design, and choice of group mates as well as routine husbandry events such as feeding, cleaning, and health care are in the hands of human keepers. It is therefore important to understand how external human-related husbandry events affect daily behaviour routines for animals, to help promote good welfare. Predictability (or lack thereof) of these routines can have profound effects on behaviours of captive animals. This study investigates whether providing a reliable predictable signal indicating entry into indoor brown capuchin ( Sapajus apella ) enclosures can increase welfare. All day focal follows of 12 zoo-housed capuchins were performed, recording behaviour in relation to husbandry events. The Baseline data show that unreliable sounds of door openings and closings outside the enclosure increase anxiety-related behaviours such as self-scratching, vigilance and jerky motions, and that the capuchins were startled by keepers entering the enclosure. A reliable signal (knocking) was subsequently introduced before enclosure entry and the monkeys given two weeks to associate the signal prior to Treatment condition data collection. The results indicate that the anxiety-related behaviours were reduced in the Treatment condition compared to Baseline frequencies. We conclude that making certain husbandry events reliable and predictable through the introduction of a unique signal can have a significant positive impact on the welfare of animals. Such an approach is not time consuming and costs nothing to implement, yet can result in significant advancements in animal welfare that can be implemented in a wide range of captive settings.
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Interspecific interactions and welfare implications in mixed species communities of capuchin ( Sapajus apella) and squirrel monkeys ( Saimiri sciureus) over 3 years
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2013Co-Authors: Hannah M. Buchanan-smith, Joana Griciute, Sophia Daoudi, Rebecca Leonardi, Andrew WhitenAbstract:Abstract Species have complex relationships with others in the wild, and some such as capuchin ( Sapajus apella ) and squirrel monkeys ( Saimiri sciureus ) naturally choose to associate with each other. There are a number of benefits of exhibiting such species in correspondingly mixed communities in captivity to enhance welfare through increased social complexity, which is potentially environmentally enriching in restricted captive enclosures. Monitoring the interactions between species is critical, however, particularly when members of one species are considerably larger and potentially more aggressive than the other. We report on the frequency and nature of interspecific interactions between S. apella and S. sciureus during four time periods over 3 years (2008–2010) following the formation of two mixed species groups at the ‘Living Links to Human Evolution' Research Centre in Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland. Both the rate and the distribution of interspecific interactions among aggressive, affiliative and neutral categories of behaviour varied over time ( P S. apella would engage in more interspecific, particularly aggressive, interactions than S. sciureus than vice versa, as they are the larger, more social species and have a more pugnacious temperament. This was the case overall ( P
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Personality structure in brown capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella): Comparisons with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo spp.), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).
Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2013Co-Authors: F. Blake Morton, Bernard Thierry, Annika Paukner, Frans B. M. De Waal, Sarah F. Brosnan, Hannah M. Buchanan-smith, Phyllis C. Lee, Jane Widness, Jennifer L Essler, Alexander WeissAbstract:Species comparisons of personality structure (i.e., how many personality dimensions and the characteristics of those dimensions) can facilitate questions about the adaptive function of personality in nonhuman primates. Here we investigate personality structure in the brown capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella), a New World primate species, and compare this structure to those of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo spp.), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Brown capuchins evolved behavioral and cognitive traits that are qualitatively similar to those of great apes, and individual differences in behavior and cognition often reflect differences in personality. Thus, we hypothesized that brown capuchin personality structure would overlap more with great apes than with rhesus macaques. We obtained personality ratings from seven sites, including 127 brown capuchin monkeys. Principal-components analysis identified five personality dimensions (Assertiveness, Openness, Neuroticism, Sociability, and Attentiveness), which were reliable across raters and, in a subset of subjects, significantly correlated with relevant behaviors up to a year later. Comparisons between species revealed that brown capuchins and great apes overlapped in personality structure, particularly chimpanzees in the case of Neuroticism. However, in some respects (i.e., capuchin Sociability and Openness) the similarities between capuchins and great apes were not significantly greater than those between capuchins and rhesus macaques. We discuss the relevance of our results to brown capuchin behavior and the evolution of personality structure in primates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).
