Haptic discrimination in capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella): Evidence of manual specialization

Lisa A. Parr; William D. Hopkins; Frans B.M. De Waal

doi:10.1016/S0028-3932(96)00056-5

Haptic discrimination in capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella): Evidence of manual specialization

Lisa A. Parr, William D. Hopkins, Frans B.M. De Waal

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Two experiments investigated the effects of haptic and visual discrimination on hand preference in 22 brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). The percentage of left-handed subjects in Experiment 1 were 63.6%, 45.5%, and 18.2% for haptic, bipedal, and quadrupedal reaching, respectively. In Experiment 2, the haptic demands of the task were manipulated by using additional food types and another tactile medium. Left-hand preferences were further strengthened when reaching into water compared to pine-shavings in Experiment 1. Reaching with no tactile interference resulted in equal numbers of lateralized and nonlateralized subjects. These results show that when reaching demands the use of haptic cues, as opposed to visual ones, monkeys shift towards greater left hand use. This is consistent with what is known about right hemisphere superiority for haptic discrimination in humans.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	143-152
Number of pages	10
Journal	Neuropsychologia
Volume	35
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0028-3932(96)00056-5
State	Published - Dec 16 1996
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Comparative
Hemispheric specialization
Lateralization
Posture

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience
Behavioral Neuroscience

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10.1016/S0028-3932(96)00056-5

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title = "Haptic discrimination in capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella): Evidence of manual specialization",

abstract = "Two experiments investigated the effects of haptic and visual discrimination on hand preference in 22 brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). The percentage of left-handed subjects in Experiment 1 were 63.6%, 45.5%, and 18.2% for haptic, bipedal, and quadrupedal reaching, respectively. In Experiment 2, the haptic demands of the task were manipulated by using additional food types and another tactile medium. Left-hand preferences were further strengthened when reaching into water compared to pine-shavings in Experiment 1. Reaching with no tactile interference resulted in equal numbers of lateralized and nonlateralized subjects. These results show that when reaching demands the use of haptic cues, as opposed to visual ones, monkeys shift towards greater left hand use. This is consistent with what is known about right hemisphere superiority for haptic discrimination in humans.",

keywords = "Comparative, Hemispheric specialization, Lateralization, Posture",

author = "Parr, {Lisa A.} and Hopkins, {William D.} and {De Waal}, {Frans B.M.}",

note = "Funding Information: This investigation was supported by grants RR-00165 from the National Center for Research Resources to the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, and NINDS-29574 to William D. Hopkins. We gratefully thank Filippo Aureli, Kim Wallen, two anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier versions of this manuscript, Frank Kiernan for his photographic assistance, and the animal care staff at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center. Portions of this manuscript were presented at the American Society for Primatologists conference, Seattle, WA, 1994. The APA standards for the ethical treatment of animals were adhered to during this study. Yerkes is fully accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care.",

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N1 - Funding Information: This investigation was supported by grants RR-00165 from the National Center for Research Resources to the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, and NINDS-29574 to William D. Hopkins. We gratefully thank Filippo Aureli, Kim Wallen, two anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier versions of this manuscript, Frank Kiernan for his photographic assistance, and the animal care staff at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center. Portions of this manuscript were presented at the American Society for Primatologists conference, Seattle, WA, 1994. The APA standards for the ethical treatment of animals were adhered to during this study. Yerkes is fully accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care.

PY - 1996/12/16

Y1 - 1996/12/16

N2 - Two experiments investigated the effects of haptic and visual discrimination on hand preference in 22 brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). The percentage of left-handed subjects in Experiment 1 were 63.6%, 45.5%, and 18.2% for haptic, bipedal, and quadrupedal reaching, respectively. In Experiment 2, the haptic demands of the task were manipulated by using additional food types and another tactile medium. Left-hand preferences were further strengthened when reaching into water compared to pine-shavings in Experiment 1. Reaching with no tactile interference resulted in equal numbers of lateralized and nonlateralized subjects. These results show that when reaching demands the use of haptic cues, as opposed to visual ones, monkeys shift towards greater left hand use. This is consistent with what is known about right hemisphere superiority for haptic discrimination in humans.

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Haptic discrimination in capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella): Evidence of manual specialization

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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