Personality in captive killer whales (Orcinus orca): A rating approach based on the five-factor model
The comparative study of animal personality has received great interest in recent years. Some studies have analyzed personalities in cetaceans (exclusively in dolphins), but none have analyzed the factorial structure of personality of any species in this order. Our objective was to evaluate a sample of captive killer whales (n = 24) adapting one of […]
Size matters: Impact of item size and quantity on array choice by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
The authors previously reported that chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) showed a striking bias to select the larger of 2 candy arrays, despite a reversed reward contingency in which the animals received the smaller, nonselected array as a reward, except when Arabic numerals were used as stimuli. A perceptual or incentive-based interference occurred that was […]
Assessing the psychological health of captive and wild apes: A response to Ferdowsian et al. (2011)
As many studies of cognition and behavior involve captive animals, assessing any psychological impact of captive conditions is an important goal for comparative researchers. Ferdowsian and colleagues (2011) sought to address whether captive chimpanzees show elevated signs of psychopathology relative to wild apes. They modified a checklist of diagnostic criteria for major depression and posttraumatic […]
Mood and anxiety disorders in chimpanzees (pan troglodytes): A response to Rosati et al. (2012)
Assessing the psychological health of nonhuman primates living in captivity is essential, since many experiments and behavioral observations involve captive animals. This area is a research priority because it has ethical consequences, in addition to its applications for understanding human and nonhuman primate behavior. In 2011, we published our international study’s findings that chimpanzees with […]
Long-term effects of infant attachment organization on adult behavior and health in nursery-reared, captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
This research traces the long-term effects on health, well-being, personality, and behavior of adult chimpanzees as a function of their attachment to a primary human caregiver assessed when they were 1 year of age. Of the 46 chimpanzees assessed at 1 year of age, we assessed health in 43 individuals, adult behavior in 20 individuals, […]