Sharing - Natural Instinct or Learned Behavior? Bonobos Like to Share Their Grub
Bonobos at the Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary for orphaned bonobos in the DRC were part of a recent study led by Dr. Hare of Duke University (NC) and Suzy Kwetuenda from the sanctuary.
In this study, a bonobo was given access to food, while another was in an adjacent room. The bonobo with access to the food had two choices: eat the food alone or open the door and let the other bonobo join in to share the food. Test subjects preferred to voluntarily open the door and share their food.
Chimpanzees (and some humans I know) would rather stuff their faces than share with a friend.
In his book entitled "Our Inner Ape", Franz De Waal relates an experiment he led. He introduced two juvenile rhesus macaques (not a species known for peace making skills) among stumptail monkeys for five months. During their stay with the stumptail monkeys, the two rhesus monkeys learned to engage in reconciliation and grooming. At the end of the experiment, these two juveniles continued to be more prone to reconciliation than regular rhesus monkeys who never spent any time with stumptail monkeys.
De Waal concludes: "This experiment showed that peacemaking is an acquired social skill rather than an instinct."
If peacemaking can be learned, can the act of sharing derive from the social context in which one is raised?
If so, could it be that the way bonobo society is structured influence how juveniles are raised and how they relate to one another?
The act of sharing certainly implies awareness of another individual's needs.
It also implies an awareness of time if, as indicated at the end of the article published in Science News (link below), bonobos share to obtain favors later on - i.e. individuals know they might need their friend's help in the future.
Can we then talk about empathy? Or is the act of sharing driven by shelfishness?
Buddy, can you spare a banana? - Science daily
In this study, a bonobo was given access to food, while another was in an adjacent room. The bonobo with access to the food had two choices: eat the food alone or open the door and let the other bonobo join in to share the food. Test subjects preferred to voluntarily open the door and share their food.
Chimpanzees (and some humans I know) would rather stuff their faces than share with a friend.
In his book entitled "Our Inner Ape", Franz De Waal relates an experiment he led. He introduced two juvenile rhesus macaques (not a species known for peace making skills) among stumptail monkeys for five months. During their stay with the stumptail monkeys, the two rhesus monkeys learned to engage in reconciliation and grooming. At the end of the experiment, these two juveniles continued to be more prone to reconciliation than regular rhesus monkeys who never spent any time with stumptail monkeys.
De Waal concludes: "This experiment showed that peacemaking is an acquired social skill rather than an instinct."
If peacemaking can be learned, can the act of sharing derive from the social context in which one is raised?
If so, could it be that the way bonobo society is structured influence how juveniles are raised and how they relate to one another?
The act of sharing certainly implies awareness of another individual's needs.
It also implies an awareness of time if, as indicated at the end of the article published in Science News (link below), bonobos share to obtain favors later on - i.e. individuals know they might need their friend's help in the future.
Can we then talk about empathy? Or is the act of sharing driven by shelfishness?
Buddy, can you spare a banana? - Science daily
Comments
Post a Comment