Monkey Moves together like we do
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| Monkey training (A), and experimental setting (B and C). (Credit: Image courtesy of RIKEN) |
Japanese
researchers show for the first time that primates modify their body movements
to be in tune with others, just like humans do. Humans unconsciously modify
their movements to be in synchrony with their peers. For example, we adapt our
pace to walk in step or clap in unison at the end of a concert. This phenomenon
is thought to reflect bonding and facilitate human interaction. Researchers
from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute report that pairs of macaque monkeys
also spontaneously coordinate their movements to reach synchrony. This research
opens the door to much-needed neurophysiological studies of spontaneous
synchronization in monkeys, which could shed light into human behavioral
dysfunctions such as those observed in patients with autism spectrum disorders,
echopraxia and echolalia -- where patients uncontrollably imitate others.
In the research, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, the team led by Naotaka Fujii developed an
experimental set-up to test whether pairs of Japanese macaque monkeys
synchronize a simple push-button movement.
Before
the experiment, the monkeys were trained to push a button with one hand. In a
first experiment the monkeys were paired and placed facing each other and the
timing of their push-button movements was recorded. The same experiment was
repeated but this time each monkey was shown videos of another monkey pushing a
button at varying speeds. And in a last experiment the macaques were not
allowed to either see or hear their video-partner.
The
results show that the monkeys modified their movements -- increased or
decreased the speed of their push-button movement -- to be in synchrony with
their partner, both when the partner was real and on video. The speed of the
button pressing movement changed to be in harmonic or sub-harmonic synchrony
with the partners' speed. However, different pairs of monkeys synchronized
differently and reached different speeds, and the monkeys synchronized their
movements the most when they could both see and hear their partner.
The
researchers note that this behavior cannot have been learnt by the monkeys
during the experiment, as previous research has shown that it is extremely
difficult for monkeys to learn intentional synchronization.
They
add: "The reasons why the monkeys showed behavioral synchronization are
not clear. It may be a vital aspect of other socially adaptive behavior,
important for survival in the wild."
The
study was partly supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on
Innovative Areas 'Neural creativity for communication' (22120522 and 24120720)
of MEXT, Japan.
Source: RIKEN
Posted by Unknown
on Tuesday, January 29, 2013.
Filed under
Strange Science
.
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