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Chimps at Kyoto University were tested on number tasks with and without an audience.
In one task, chimps touched numbers in order to get a reward. In a harder task, they had to remember the order of non-adjacent numbers.
When tested with 1 to 8 human observers, chimps did better on the hardest task with more people watching.
Researchers were surprised that chimps performed better in front of an audience. This “audience effect” might motivate them.
Further studies may explore how individual chimp personalities affect performance in front of an audience.
This study suggests that chimps may share some behaviors with humans when it comes to performing in front of others.
Vocabulary List:
- Chimpanzee /ˌtʃɪm.pænˈzi/ (noun): A species of great ape known for its intelligence and social behavior.
- Audience /ˈɔː.di.əns/ (noun): The assembled spectators or listeners at an event.
- Motivate /ˈmoʊ.tɪ.veɪt/ (verb): To provide someone with a reason for doing something.
- Performance /pərˈfɔːr.məns/ (noun): The act of carrying out or performing a task or activity.
- Explorer /ɪkˈsplɔːrər/ (verb): To investigate or study systematically.
- Personality /ˌpɜːr.səˈnæl.ɪ.ti/ (noun): The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character.
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