Following and Joining the Informed Individual in Semifree-Ranging Tonkean Macaques (Macaca tonkeana)
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2004 |
Authors: |
A.M. Ducoing, B.Thierry |
Publication/Journal: |
Journal of Comparative Psychology |
Keywords: |
aggression/psychology, animal behavior/physiology, animal behaviour/physiology, animals, cognition, environment, female, macaca, male, social behavior, social behaviour, social dominance |
ISBN: |
1939-2087 0735-7036 |
Abstract:
The authors investigated whether Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) can distinguish between 2 group mates with different knowledge and improve their foraging performance. The subjects were 8 young individuals belonging to a group raised in a 2-acre park. The authors carried out 192 tests in which subgroups of 3 individuals were released in a food search situation. Two leaders could be informed about 2 different food sites. A naive follower could choose to follow 1 leader or another. The follower could find the correct site when 1 leader was informed about food location. There was no evidence that the follower identified the best leader, however. The less well-informed leader generally joined the other leader, prompting the follower to follow them. The followers’ pathways were mainly determined by the interactions of leaders.