Hand preferences for bimanual coordination in 29 bonobos (Pan paniscus)

Abstract

Brain lateralization has long been thought to be unique to humans. To investigate the origins and functions of this feature, researchers study behavioural laterality in other animals. Despite a substantial database, manual laterality in non-human primates remains a controversial topic. We give here a review of the main findings on manual preference in great apes. This article presents data on hand preferences for a bimanual coordination in 29 bonobos (Pan paniscus). The study aims to provide data on manual laterality for a complex bimanual task in this very interesting and rarely studied species. Hand preferences were assessed using the ‘tube task’. This task has been used with other species, which allows reliable data comparisons. The task requires a bimanual coordinated precise action: the subject holds the tube with one hand while reaching for food inside with the other hand. As a complex task, this measure has been shown to be efficient in revealing hand preferences. It has revealed group-level right bias in chimpanzees. Bonobos had never been tested. We recorded both independent bouts (counting only the first pattern of a sequence of identical actions) and frequency (counting every action). The bonobos exhibited strong hand preferences. With frequency, 11 bonobos were classified as right-handed, 15 were left-handed and 3 had no preference. With bouts, 8 bonobos were right-handed, 9 were left-handed and 12 had no preference. No group-level bias appeared. The results are discussed in relation with previous findings and theories on brain lateralization.