Post by Moses on Feb 15, 2005 11:22:45 GMT -5
January 26, 2005
If that's justice, then I'm a monkey's uncle
By Mark Henderson, Science Correspondent
CHIMPANZEES have a finely developed sense of fairness that is remarkably similar to that possessed by human beings, according to new research.
When chimps feel they are being treated unfairly their willingness to tolerate this depends on their social situation, scientists have discovered.
Just as people are more prepared to put up with apparent favouritism towards a friend or relative than they are with unfairness in favour of a stranger, so chimps’ reactions vary according to social bonds.
They are more willing to accept it when animals they know well are given disproportionate amounts of food than they are when the same thing happens with unfamiliar chimps.
The findings add to growing evidence that a sense of fairness is an evolved element of the primate mind — and that human beings and chimps have developed a particularly nuanced version of that element.
Sarah Brosnan, of Yerkes National Primate Research Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, said: “Human decisions tend to be emotional and vary depending on the other people involved.
“Our finding in chimpanzees implies this variability in response is adaptive and emphasises there is not one best response for any given situation but rather it depends on the social environment at the time.”
In the study, which is published today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society, the researchers placed chimps into pairs, then trained them to perform a task for a food reward. After a while, these were varied so that one animal received a highly valued food and the other a less valued item. When the chimps did not know each other well, the slighted animal would generally down tools and stop co-operating with the task. When both chimps came from the same close-knit social group, however, this unfairness was more likely to be tolerated.
The findings suggest, as with human beings, chimps are prepared to put up with apparent unfairness in favour of those they know well, on the ground of “what goes around comes around”. With strangers they do not feel the same way, insisting on scrupulous impartiality.
If that's justice, then I'm a monkey's uncle
By Mark Henderson, Science Correspondent
CHIMPANZEES have a finely developed sense of fairness that is remarkably similar to that possessed by human beings, according to new research.
When chimps feel they are being treated unfairly their willingness to tolerate this depends on their social situation, scientists have discovered.
Just as people are more prepared to put up with apparent favouritism towards a friend or relative than they are with unfairness in favour of a stranger, so chimps’ reactions vary according to social bonds.
They are more willing to accept it when animals they know well are given disproportionate amounts of food than they are when the same thing happens with unfamiliar chimps.
The findings add to growing evidence that a sense of fairness is an evolved element of the primate mind — and that human beings and chimps have developed a particularly nuanced version of that element.
Sarah Brosnan, of Yerkes National Primate Research Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, said: “Human decisions tend to be emotional and vary depending on the other people involved.
“Our finding in chimpanzees implies this variability in response is adaptive and emphasises there is not one best response for any given situation but rather it depends on the social environment at the time.”
In the study, which is published today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society, the researchers placed chimps into pairs, then trained them to perform a task for a food reward. After a while, these were varied so that one animal received a highly valued food and the other a less valued item. When the chimps did not know each other well, the slighted animal would generally down tools and stop co-operating with the task. When both chimps came from the same close-knit social group, however, this unfairness was more likely to be tolerated.
The findings suggest, as with human beings, chimps are prepared to put up with apparent unfairness in favour of those they know well, on the ground of “what goes around comes around”. With strangers they do not feel the same way, insisting on scrupulous impartiality.