Abstract
Examining the ontogeny of conflict-mitigating behaviours in our closest living relatives is an important component of understanding the evolutionary origins of cooperation in our species. In this study, we used 26 years of data to investigate the emergence of third-party affiliation (TPA), defined as affiliative contact given to recipients of aggression by uninvolved bystanders (regardless of initiation), in wild immature eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. We also characterized TPA by mothers in the same dataset as an adult benchmark for interpreting immature TPA patterns. In summary, we found that immatures did not express TPA as measured by grooming between the ages of 1.5 and 12.0 years, and that there was limited evidence that immatures expressed TPA via play. We also found that mothers did express TPA to offspring, although mothers did not show TPA towards non-offspring. Cases of TPA by mothers to other adults were too few to analyse separately. These results contrast with findings from captive studies which found that chimpanzees as young as 6 years of age demonstrated TPA. We argue that within-species variation in the expression of TPA, both in immatures and adulthood, provides evidence that the conflict management behaviours of young chimpanzees may be heavily influenced by social, ecological and demographic factors.
Highlights
We used 26 years of data to investigate the emergence of third-party affiliation (TPA), defined as affiliative contact given to recipients of aggression by uninvolved bystanders, in wild immature eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Gombe National Park, Tanzania
One PC behaviour of particular interest is third-party affiliation (TPA), which is defined as affiliative contact given to recipients of aggression by uninvolved bystanders [15]
Unsolicited TPA has been shown to serve a conciliatory function in which third parties give support in what is often deemed an empathetic manner to victims of aggression, reducing the victim’s anxiety and arousal following the aggressive event
Summary
We used 26 years of data to investigate the emergence of third-party affiliation (TPA), defined as affiliative contact given to recipients of aggression by uninvolved bystanders (regardless of initiation), in wild immature eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Cases of TPA by mothers to other adults were too few to analyse separately These results contrast with findings from captive studies which found that chimpanzees as young as 6 years of age demonstrated TPA. We argue that within-species variation in the expression of TPA, both in immatures and adulthood, provides evidence that the conflict management behaviours of young chimpanzees may be heavily influenced by social, ecological and demographic factors. One PC behaviour of particular interest is third-party affiliation (TPA), which is defined as affiliative contact given to recipients of aggression by uninvolved bystanders (regardless of initiation) [15]. Unsolicited TPA has been shown to serve a conciliatory function in which third parties give support in what is often deemed an empathetic manner to victims of aggression, reducing the victim’s anxiety and arousal following the aggressive event (captive chimpanzees, P. troglodytes [27,28,29,30]; wild chimpanzees, P. troglodytes: Tai, Côte d’Ivoire [24,26]; Mahale, Tanzania [5]; captive gorillas, G. g. gorilla [6,31]; and captive bonobos, P. paniscus [7,23,32])
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
