Postural effect on manual laterality in different tasks in captive grey-cheeked mangabey (Lophocebus albigena)
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2007 |
Authors: |
C. Blois-Heulin, V. Bernard, P. Bec |
Publication/Journal: |
Journal of Comparative Psychology |
Keywords: |
animals, cercocebus/psychology, feeding behavior, female, functional laterality, laterality, lophocebus albigena, male, posture, psychomotor performance, species specificity, task complexity |
ISBN: |
0735-7036 |
Abstract:
The authors examined the effects of task complexity and posture on laterality and compared lateralization
during different tasks in 9 captive grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) during spontaneous
food processing and 3 experimental tasks. Comparisons with data of red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus
torquatus torquatus; semiterrestrial species) were used. Less than half the monkeys were lateralized for
simple everyday activities, but 6 were lateralized for complex daily activities. Moreover, all the monkeys
were lateralized when performing experimental tasks. Laterality at the group level was found for the
bipedal task: Mangabeys were right-handed. Complexity of tasks increases laterality at the individual
level. Significant differences between the 2 species of mangabeys were found, allowing us to confirm that
postural constraints are a major factor in the emergence of group handedness.