Chimpanzees as altruistic and generous as their human cousins

Washington, August 9 (ANI): Chimpanzees, are also capable of altruism, which was previously regarded as unique to humans, a new research has shown.

This, the study authors report, is in contrast to previous studies that positioned chimpanzees as reluctant altruists and led to the widely held belief that human altruism evolved in the last six million years only after humans split from apes.

In the current study, Yerkes researchers Victoria Horner, PhD, Frans de Waal, PhD, and their colleagues focused on offering seven adult female chimpanzees a choice between two similar actions: one that rewards both the "actor," the term used in the paper for the lead study participant, and a partner, and another that rewards only the actor/chooser herself.

All seven chimpanzees showed an overwhelming preference for the prosocial choice. The study also showed the choosers behaved altruistically especially towards partners who either patiently waited or gently reminded them that they were there by drawing attention to themselves.

The chimpanzees making the choices were less likely to reward partners who made a fuss, begged persistently or spat water at them, thus showing their altruism was spontaneous and not subject to intimidation.

The study has been published in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (ANI)