SOCIAL: Yamamoto Flashcards
what was the aim?
to learn more about helping behavior in chimpanzees
whether chimpanzees can understand the needs of conspecifics and respond to those needs with targeted helping
what was the research method and design?
lab experiment
repeated measures design
chimpanzees were seated in adjacent experimental booths
what was the independent variable?
the ability of the chimpanzees to see each other
first condition: can see other chimpanzee
second condition: cannot see other chimpanzee
what was the dependent variable?
targeted helping behavior
operationalised as the tools offered
recorded on video camera to produce quantitative data on how they moved, responded to gestures as well as where they were looking while they sat in the experimental booths
what was the sample?
5 chimpanzees
socially housed in the Primate Institute at Kyoto university
each had previously taken part in cognitive studies and some included helping behavior
paired in mother and child pairs
what was the procedure?
48 trials were done it total; 24 stick and 24 straw
trials end when recipients receive object and obtained juice box
only the first offer was counted
2-4 trials done per day
a chimpanzee had to select a tool that would help solve conspecific’s issue
one task required a stick and the other task required a straw
solving the task helped the conspecific obtain a juice base
seven objects were placed in a booth with potential not in reach of potential recipient
there was a hole to put their arms through
familiarization phase every day to examine objects
each chimpanzee experienced the conditions in the same order:
can see (transparent panel)
cannot see (opaque panel)
can see was repeated to eliminate order effects
how many trials were done?
48 trials were done it total; 24 stick and 24 straw
what were the results?
chimpanzees are capable of flexible targeted helping based on their understanding of the others goals
in ‘can see’, objects were offered 91% of trials upon request
compared to pre-test familiarization trials where objects were offered in 5% of trials
apart from 1 chimpanzee, the rest first offered a stick or straw
in ‘cannot see’, objects were offered 96% upon request
pan mainly offered a brush at first but when it was removed she offered appropriate tools
‘can see’ had a significant difference in which tool was offered
‘cannot see’ no significant difference, except one chimp
Ayumu who often selected the right tool, stood up and peered through the hole in the wall to view his mother and see her task
results suggest that chimpanzees can only understand when they see the task itself
request actions were the same in both conditions
‘can see’ repeated with 3 chimpanzees who showed significant difference in tool selection in ‘can see’ than ‘cannot see’
object was offered 98% of trials upon request 80%
significant difference in offer of stick or straw depending on their partners situation
what were the conclusions?
chimpanzees can understand the needs of conspecifics to help them successfully solve tasks
they will offer help mainly upon request rather than as a spontaneous act
they rely on visual confirmation of conspecific needs in order to offer targeted helping
