Lateralized scratching in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Evidence of a functional asymmetry during arousal

William D. Hopkins; Jamie L. Russell; Hani Freeman; Elizabeth A.M. Reynolds; Caroline Griffis; David A. Leavens

doi:10.1037/1528-3542.6.4.553

Lateralized scratching in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Evidence of a functional asymmetry during arousal

William D. Hopkins, Jamie L. Russell, Hani Freeman, Elizabeth A.M. Reynolds, Caroline Griffis, David A. Leavens

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

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study evaluated laterality in scratching by chimpanzees (n = 89) during socially arousing circumstances. Hand use and the side of the body scratched was recorded during a baseline and experimental condition. In the experimental condition, chimpanzees were shown a video of other conspecifics sharing, fighting over, and consuming a watermelon. Self-touches were categorized as either rubs or scratches. The chimpanzees showed a significant right hand bias for rubbing and also significantly directed the rubs to the right side of the body. For scratching, the chimpanzees showed no hand preference but a significant bias for scratching on the left side of the body. These results support the view that the right hemisphere regulates the autonomic nervous system during arousal.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	553-559
Number of pages	7
Journal	Emotion
Volume	6
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.6.4.553
State	Published - Nov 2006
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Arousal
Chimpanzee
Emotional contagion
Laterality
Scratching

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Psychology

Access to Document

10.1037/1528-3542.6.4.553

Cite this

@article{c8ce0f76b5d64d43892051dfc429f865,

title = "Lateralized scratching in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Evidence of a functional asymmetry during arousal",

abstract = "This study evaluated laterality in scratching by chimpanzees (n = 89) during socially arousing circumstances. Hand use and the side of the body scratched was recorded during a baseline and experimental condition. In the experimental condition, chimpanzees were shown a video of other conspecifics sharing, fighting over, and consuming a watermelon. Self-touches were categorized as either rubs or scratches. The chimpanzees showed a significant right hand bias for rubbing and also significantly directed the rubs to the right side of the body. For scratching, the chimpanzees showed no hand preference but a significant bias for scratching on the left side of the body. These results support the view that the right hemisphere regulates the autonomic nervous system during arousal.",

keywords = "Arousal, Chimpanzee, Emotional contagion, Laterality, Scratching",

author = "Hopkins, {William D.} and Russell, {Jamie L.} and Hani Freeman and Reynolds, {Elizabeth A.M.} and Caroline Griffis and Leavens, {David A.}",

year = "2006",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1037/1528-3542.6.4.553",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "6",

pages = "553--559",

journal = "Emotion",

issn = "1528-3542",

publisher = "American Psychological Association Inc.",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Lateralized scratching in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

T2 - Evidence of a functional asymmetry during arousal

AU - Hopkins, William D.

AU - Russell, Jamie L.

AU - Freeman, Hani

AU - Reynolds, Elizabeth A.M.

AU - Griffis, Caroline

AU - Leavens, David A.

PY - 2006/11

Y1 - 2006/11

N2 - This study evaluated laterality in scratching by chimpanzees (n = 89) during socially arousing circumstances. Hand use and the side of the body scratched was recorded during a baseline and experimental condition. In the experimental condition, chimpanzees were shown a video of other conspecifics sharing, fighting over, and consuming a watermelon. Self-touches were categorized as either rubs or scratches. The chimpanzees showed a significant right hand bias for rubbing and also significantly directed the rubs to the right side of the body. For scratching, the chimpanzees showed no hand preference but a significant bias for scratching on the left side of the body. These results support the view that the right hemisphere regulates the autonomic nervous system during arousal.

AB - This study evaluated laterality in scratching by chimpanzees (n = 89) during socially arousing circumstances. Hand use and the side of the body scratched was recorded during a baseline and experimental condition. In the experimental condition, chimpanzees were shown a video of other conspecifics sharing, fighting over, and consuming a watermelon. Self-touches were categorized as either rubs or scratches. The chimpanzees showed a significant right hand bias for rubbing and also significantly directed the rubs to the right side of the body. For scratching, the chimpanzees showed no hand preference but a significant bias for scratching on the left side of the body. These results support the view that the right hemisphere regulates the autonomic nervous system during arousal.

KW - Arousal

KW - Chimpanzee

KW - Emotional contagion

KW - Laterality

KW - Scratching

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845495868&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33845495868&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/1528-3542.6.4.553

DO - 10.1037/1528-3542.6.4.553

M3 - Article

C2 - 17144747

AN - SCOPUS:33845495868

SN - 1528-3542

VL - 6

SP - 553

EP - 559

JO - Emotion

JF - Emotion

IS - 4

ER -

Lateralized scratching in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Evidence of a functional asymmetry during arousal

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this