Cognitive Similarities Between Bonobos And Chimpanzees

Annotated Bibliography: Bonobos
Herrmann, E., Hare, B., Call, J., Tomasello, M. (August 27, 2010) Differences in the Cognitive
Skills of Bonobos and Chimpanzees. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012438
While physiological similarities between bonobos and chimpanzees suggest cognitive similarities, it is found through behavioral differences that we see the two species differ cognitively. Conducted in 2010, this study examines both species and determines whether or not these cognitive differences support the role of ecological and socio-ecological pressures in the shaping of bonobos and chimpanzees cognitive skills. In order to test this idea, researches chose to put both species under a wide range of cognitive problems and

later compare the results to examine their understanding of the physical and social world. The methods used for this study included thirty-four bonobos and one-hundred and six chimpanzees, their age, gender, and sixteen different physical and social cognitive tasks. These methods allowed researchers to analyze each species response to the sixteen different scenarios and measure their levels of performance for each task. As a result they found that bonobos were much more skilled at solving tasks related to “theory of mind” and understanding social causality, while chimpanzees were much more skilled at tasks requiring the use of tools and the understanding of physical causality. In conclusion, these results successfully confirmed their hypothesis that bonobos and chimpanzees cognitive skills differ correspondingly, and that based on the “theory of mind” bonobos had better social-cognitive skills than chimpanzees.
After analyzing this study, I found this research to be relevant to my topic because it suggests a distinct correlation between bonobos sexual behavior and problem solving for survival.
Word Count: 241

Hohmann, G., Fruth, B. (February 2008). New Records on Prey Capture and Meat Eating by
Bonobos at Lui Kotale, Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. Folia
Primatologica 79.2 (2008): 103-10. Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.saddleback.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/219
367205?accountid=39855.
Surbeck and Fruth (2008) compare and contrast the hunting strategies of bonobos and chimpanzees in order to gain a better understanding for how these two primates survive.

While chimpanzees frequently hunt in packs for other groups of monkey species, it is believed that bonobos tend to hunt individually and focus their efforts on more medium sized terrestrial prey. Based on these individual hunting patterns and smaller prey consumption, it can be inferred that there is a lack of male bonding and reduced levels of aggression, showing implications of behavior being driven mostly by reproductive advantages. Observing the hunting patterns of bonobos in the Salonga National Park, Surbeck and Fruth (2008) used methods such as direct observation, macroscopic inspection of faeces, prey, and modes of consumption to narrow down their research. They found that at Lui Kotale, Salonga National Park, both sexes were active in pursuing and hunting prey, confirming the active role of adult females in prey acquisition and meat sharing. They were also able to conclude that choice of prey is one major difference between bonobos and chimpanzees, and that bonobos tend to catch their prey by individual opportunity rather than by group

pursuit.
This study with serve as a beneficial component to my final paper because it offers reliable research regarding bonobos diet and hunting patterns. This is relevant because it will allow be to cross reference bonobos sexual behavior, and determine how that may affect their choice of prey and hunting strategy.
Word Count: 248

Wobber, V., Hare, B., Maboto, J., Lipson, S., Wrangham, R., & Ellison, P. (July 13, 2010).
Differential changes in steroid hormones before competition in bonobos and
chimpanzees. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of
America,107(28), 12457-12462. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20724276
Conducted in 2010, this research addresses the topic of competition, in which it is believed that rapid changes in testosterone and cortisol during competition differ according to a species physiological and behavioral responses to competition. To test this hypothesis, this team of researchers presented chimpanzees and bonobos with a dyadic food competition in order to measure their salivary testosterone and cortisol levels. By doing so, this would allow researches the opportunity to take a closer look at their endocrine shifts and whether or not chimpanzees and bonobos viewed this event as a stressor or as a test of dominance. The methods used for this study included twenty-four bonobos and thirty-three chimpanzees, and took into account their age, gender, and whether they shared food or if the dominant got more. Through the use of such methods, researchers were able to measure the cortisol and testosterone levels in bonobos based on their responses when two individuals shared food and when the dominant obtained more. As a result, they found that in bonobos there was a significant shift in cortisol, whereas chimpanzees showed substantial shifts in testosterone when the dominant obtained more food. Therefore, based on this study, researchers were able to confirm that chimpanzees and bonobos differ substantially in endocrine shifts when competition is present.
This study will surely benefit the validity of paper, for it offers insightful information on how sexual behaviors affect the endocrine levels and chances of survival for bonobos.
Word Count: 241

Woods, V., & Hare, B. (April 2011). Bonobo but not chimpanzee infants use socio-sexual contact
with peers. Retrieved from
https://login.ezproxy.saddleback.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/859
327417?accountid=39855
Woods and Hare (2011) compare the social sexual behaviors between chimpanzees and bonobos, only to discover that unlike chimpanzees, bonobo infants use sociosexual contact with their peers. Although chimpanzees and bonobos may be closely related genetically and in many ways behaviorally, these two primates differ in several behavioral and psychological aspects. Considering that bonobos are much more sexual than chimpanzees, Woods and Hare work together to uncover the truth behind both primates social sexual behaviors and how they differ from one another both socially and sexually. The methods used in this experiment consisted of sex, age, number of partners each infant had, as well as the number of same-sex and opposite partners subjects had at least one socio-sexual interaction with. By collecting this data at the nursery groups of two different orphanages in Africa, Woods and Hare (2011) were able to measure the sexual interaction amongst chimpanzees and bonobos, and found that bonobos were the only ones who exhibited any sexual behavior during their study. Based on this study, the data collected supports the hypothesis that bonobos have a predisposition to use socio-sexual behaviors in ways that chimpanzees did not exhibit.
I thought this research was relevant because they were able to create an accurate hypothesis based on prior research of bonobos sexual behaviors, and by studying infants they were able to solidify their hypothesis that unlike chimpanzees, bonobos do in fact use socio-sexual contact with their peers.
Word Count: 238

Furuichi, T., Sanz, C., Koops, K., Sakamaki, T., Ryu, H., Tokuyama, N., & Morgan, D. (2015).
Why do wild bonobos not use tools like chimpanzees do?. Behaviour, 152(3/4), 425-460.
Retrieved from EBSCOhost, doi:10.1163/1568539X-00003226.
Conducted in 2015, this recent study examines the use of tools between bonobos and chimpanzees, and works to uncover the reason as to why bonobos do not use tools like chimpanzees do.

The purpose of this study is to allow researchers to examine the differences in tool use between species, and determine whether or not these differences support their hypothesis that various ecological and social factors are responsible for the emergence and maintenance of tool traditions. As their methods include location, terrain, fruit abundance, and tool use they are able to acquire accurate and reliable information that will help provide the researchers with the necessary data for the study. By studying bonobos and chimpanzees from two different locations, researchers were able to challenge their study with environmental factors such as climate, terrain, and food supply. As a result, their study revealed that the main difference between the two species exists in their use of tools for feeding, and that in chimpanzees tool use for feeding was frequent whereas in bonobos it was nearly

absent.
Once again this study compares bonobos and chimpanzees, but offers a great deal of information on bonobos and their hunting and eating behaviors. This is particularly relevant because it suggests that the lack of tool use for food could be a detrimental hindrance bonobos ability to thrive and survive.
Word Count: 223

Topic: How do bonobos sexual behavior affect their ability to survive?
Thesis: By analyzing bonobos sexual, social, and hunting behaviors, as well as cognitive skills I
will be able to argue that a bonobos ability to survive is is negatively impacted by their
reproductive tendencies.