Face Recognition / Self Recognition in Primates

Humans rely primarily on face recognition to identify their family members and friends; so do chimpanzees according to a report published on December 18 in "Current Biology", a Cell Press publication.

This paper offers new insight into the origin of face recognition in humans, scientists say.

Lisa Parr and Frans De Waal, both researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta - GA, have demonstrated  that chimpanzees, using a joystick device, are able to accurately match unfamiliar female chimpanzees photos with the photos of their sons.

This ability to recognize faces is one of the major factors that helped chimpanzees create complex societies in which alliances and networking are crucial.

Using Positron Emission Tomography (PET), scientists have now discovered that humans and chimps both use similar brain regions to register faces and identify them.

You can find out more about the subject by reading articles at the links below.

Science Daily - Humans And Chimps Register Faces By Using Similar Brain Regions.

Science Daily - Who's Bad?  Chimps Figure It Out By Observation

National Geographic - Self-Recognition in Apes