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SUMMARY:Field experiments reveal the scope of social learning in vervet mo
 nkeys - Dr Erica van de Waal\, University of Zurich
DTSTART:20160420T153000Z
DTEND:20160420T163000Z
UID:TALK64882@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Aurélien Mounier
DESCRIPTION:Behavioural tradition has been an active topic in animal behav
 iour since the renowned Japanese macaque studies of half a century ago\, y
 et controlled field experiments to clearly identify social learning began 
 only recently. In a field experiment inspired by this famous food cleaning
  study we found that naïve infants copy in details how their mother handl
 e sandy fruits. Then we used an established laboratory experimental paradi
 gm\, employing ‘artificial fruits’ to test for copying of different ac
 tions by wild vervet monkeys. We demonstrated social learning from high ra
 nking female models as well as matching of the movement used to access the
  reward inside.  In another experiment\, we show that vervet monkeys will 
 abandon personal foraging preferences in favour of group norms new to them
 . Groups first learned to avoid the bitter-tasting alternative of two food
 s. Presentations of these options untreated revealed all new naïve infant
 s adopting maternal preferences. Males migrating between groups where the 
 alternative food was eaten switched to the new local norm. Observing two g
 roup splits of low-ranking females we found significant change in their fo
 raging preference\, converging on that of the previous dominant monkeys in
  their origin group\, demonstrating how biased transmission may lead to po
 pulation level traditions. 
LOCATION:Seminar Room\, Henry Wellcome Building\, Division of Biological A
 nthropology\, Fitzwilliam Street\, Cambridge\, CB2 3QG
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