Intentional gestural communication amongst red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus).

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Version: Final published version
License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_C346ECF4435B
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Intentional gestural communication amongst red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus).
Journal
Animal cognition
Author(s)
Schel A.M., Bono A., Aychet J., Pika S., Lemasson A.
ISSN
1435-9456 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1435-9448
Publication state
Published
Issued date
10/2022
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
25
Number
5
Pages
1313-1330
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Apes, human's closest living relatives, are renowned for their intentional and highly flexible use of gestural communication. In stark contrast, evidence for flexible and intentional gestural communication in monkeys is scarce. Here, we investigated the intentionality and flexibility of spontaneous gesture use in red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus). We applied established methods used in ape gesture research to analyse whether the body acts produced by a total of 17 individuals living in three different groups in captivity qualified as intentionally produced gesture instances. Results showed that signallers showed all hallmarks of intentionality during the production of 20 out of a total of 21 different types of body acts. These were only produced in the presence of other individuals, and the monkeys showed audience checking, sensitivity to the attentional states of recipients, adjustment of signal modality, and response waiting relative to their production. Moreover, in case of communication failure, the monkeys showed goal persistence, and regarding the production contexts they showed some signs of means-ends dissociation. Therefore, these monkeys are capable of flexible and intentional gestural communication and use this to communicate with conspecifics. Our results corroborate recent findings showing that intentional gestural communication was already present in the monkey lineage of catarrhine primates. We discuss our results in light of the comparative approach towards human language evolution and highlight our finding that these monkeys also showed flexible and intentional use of four 'free' manual gesture types.
Keywords
Animals, Animal Communication, Attention, Cercocebus/physiology, Gestures, Hominidae, Primates, Flexibility, Gestural communication, Intentionality, Manual, Monkey
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
11/04/2022 9:03
Last modification date
23/01/2024 8:33
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