A scarf on the neck, a bracelet on the leg or perforations in the ear. These are some of the mods that people reproduce in accordance with the trends of the moment, but they are not very useful and do not have a clear justification. This is a habit that changes, but is supported over time. However, this does not seem only a question of people, but some animals also copy, in the visible, useless behavior with each other, for example, to wear Bree herbs in the ears and behindQuestionnaires
Thus, a conclusion reached by a group of researchers from a morning university, Darem University after observing the behavior of a chimpanzees group in a sanctuary in Zambia. Their conclusions are now published in the journal BehaviorQuestionnaires
“This shows that, like people, other animals too They copy, in the visible, useless behavior with each other“Says a researcher from Utrekhte University, Edwin Van Leuven. In his opinion, this “may offer information about the evolutionary roots of human culture. ”
Imitation, fashion or sense of belonging
It all started in 2010When Van Leuven found that a woman -to -panze from a shelter for a shelter of wildlife shelter Chimfunshi repeatedly laid the grass in her ear in her ear and left him there, for no apparent reason. Then seven other members of the group imitated this animal. The behavior was preserved, despite the death of this primat, and was interpreted as a cultural tradition.
The amazing occurred more than ten years later, because the chimpanzees from another group in the same sanctuary also began to introduce grasses into the ears of brishes. They did not copy this behavior of the previous group, since they did not have contact with them. And it passed more. Six other members of the group too They left an explosion on buttocksQuestionnaires
Researchers did not find evidence that the chimpanzees are worried about their ears or behind, and, for example, use herbal leaves to alleviate itching. That is, I had no usefulnessQuestionnaires
With careful monitoring of what animals showed over time, Van Leuven and his colleagues showed that the animals did not invent him for themselves, but this They would have copied from each otherThe profiles “both groups where the chimpanzees put the grass in their ears had the same trustees. They reported that sometimes they put grass or match in the ears to clean them, ”adds Van Leuven.
This imitation can be considered “useless” from a practical point of view. However, the authors are not entirely safe: “I could also have a social goalThe questionnaires are writing out the behavior of another person, you show that you look at this, and you may even like it. Therefore, this can help strengthen social ties and create a sense of belonging within the group, like people. ”
