Chimps have been shown to copy the methods of alpha group members for opening a puzzle box even after discovering a better method
Primates have been shown to copy an action if they see others doing it. An even clearer demonstration of animal conformity was shown in a beautiful study of chimpanzees by Frans de Waal. In each of two groups the alpha female was separated from the rest and shown how to open a puzzle box containing food. Crucially, the two were shown different, equally difficult ways of doing it. Once the females had mastered their approaches, the chimps in each group got to watch their alpha female strut her stuff repeatedly with the puzzle box. Finally everyone got access to the puzzle box and promptly copied their alpha’s technique.
Thus this is a cool demonstration of the spread of cultural information. But something even more interesting happened. A chimp in the group would occasionally stumble onto the alternative method—and would then abandon it, going back to doing it the “normal” way. Just because everyone else was doing so. Thus animals will perform one version of a behavior not because it is better but simply because everyone else does.
References
- Sapolsky, Robert. (2017). Behave Chapter 12. Hierarchy, Obedience, and Resistance (p. 521). New York, NY: Penguin Random House.
Metadata
Type:🔴 Tags: Psychology / Social Psychology Status:☀️