Kret, M.E., Jaasma, L., Bionda, T., & Wijnen, J.G. (2016). Bonobos (Pan Paniscus) show an attentional bias towards conspecifics’ emotions. Flashcards
What was the purpose of the study by Kret et al. (2016)?
Answer: The purpose of the study was to investigate whether bonobos exhibit an attentional bias towards the emotions of their conspecifics. (same species)
How did the researchers measure the bonobos’ attentional bias towards emotional faces?
Answer: The researchers used eye-tracking technology to monitor the bonobos’ gaze patterns.
What did the results of the study show about bonobos’ attentional bias towards emotional faces?
Answer: The results showed that bonobos had an attentional bias towards emotional faces, particularly those displaying negative emotions such as fear and aggression.
What does this suggest about bonobos’ sensitivity to emotional cues in their social environment?
Answer: The study suggests that bonobos, like humans, may have an innate sensitivity to emotional cues in their social environment.
What are some limitations of the study by Kret et al. (2016)?
Answer: Some limitations of the study include the small sample size and the use of static facial expressions instead of dynamic ones, which may not accurately reflect how emotions are expressed in social interactions.
What was the main limitation of the study according to the authors?
The main limitation of the study according to the authors was the small sample size of the study (n=14).
Did the researchers find evidence of attentional bias towards conspecifics’ emotions in the bonobos?
Yes, the researchers found evidence of attentional bias towards conspecifics’ emotions in the bonobos. The bonobos showed a longer looking time towards images of conspecifics’ facial expressions compared to images of objects and scrambled faces.
What does the study suggest about the social cognition of bonobos?
The study suggests that bonobos have advanced social cognition and are able to recognize and attend to the emotional expressions of their conspecifics.
How do the findings of this study compare to previous research on attentional bias in nonhuman animals?
The findings of this study are consistent with previous research on attentional bias in nonhuman animals, which have shown that animals are able to attend to and discriminate between emotional expressions of their conspecifics.
What are some of the potential implications of this research for our understanding of animal cognition and welfare?
The research has potential implications for our understanding of animal cognition and welfare, as it suggests that animals have a level of social cognition that was previously underestimated. The findings also highlight the importance of considering the emotional experiences of animals in research and animal welfare practices.
