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Topic: Even monkeys understand inequality
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Doug
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 44
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posted 18 November 2007 12:31 AM
quote: Brosnan, along with lead author Megan van Wolkenten and Frans B. M. de Waal, both at Emory University in Georgia, trained 13 tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) at Emory's Yerkes National Primate Research Center to play a no-fair game. In the game, each of a pair of monkeys would hand a small granite rock to a human in exchange for a reward, either a cucumber slice or the more preferable grape.When both monkeys received cucumber rewards, all was fine in primate land. But when one monkey handed over the granite stone and landed a grape, while monkey number two got a cucumber, madness ensued. "They would literally take the cucumber from me and then drop it on the ground or throw it on the ground, or when I offered it to them they would simply turn around and refuse to accept it," Brosnan told LiveScience. Further experiments ruled out greed or frustration as forces driving the capuchin monkeys to react negatively to a cucumber reward.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/monkeysfussoverinequality quote: The researchers noted one difference, however, between the human and capuchin senses of fairness: While humans regard fairness as equal treatment of themselves and others, the capuchin monkeys only care about number one.
Which goes to show that conservatives are just less evolved.
From: Toronto, Canada | Registered: Apr 2001
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Noah_Scape
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 14667
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posted 18 November 2007 10:33 AM
This is interesting stuff... a number of examples of 'animal consciousness' are being uncovered as we study them more. They have such human-like traits! The Cheeta that was being cared for when poachers killed the mother was seen to be very depressed when it's brother died later on. It is not just herd animals that are aware of extended family. The Cheeta 'gangs of young males' have territorial aspirations, and the main reward seems to that they 'get the girls'. [they were a threat to this orphaned Cheeta] Maybe it is human behaviors that are being seen more clearly with our observations of the animal world...
From: B.C. | Registered: Oct 2007
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Tommy_Paine
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 214
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posted 18 November 2007 05:29 PM
Stories, yes. Compelling, no. The best I ever heard was the one about Hans the horse that could do math. Turns out he was reading the body language of his owner, who quite innocently gave the horse the answers. What was lost in the fru fra was how extraordinary the ordinary senses of the horse and human were. It would be interesting to read a study by capuchin monkeys on the subject of sadistic tendancies in human researchers... [ 18 November 2007: Message edited by: Tommy_Paine ]
From: The Alley, Behind Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: Apr 2001
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bliter
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 14536
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posted 18 November 2007 05:59 PM
Doubting Thomas,You may want to check it - if only for its prettiness. http://www.psychicworld.net/Psypet.htm
From: delta | Registered: Sep 2007
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