Chimpanzees Using Teamwork
Scientists recently discovered that due to evolution, like humans, chimpanzees also use teamwork to get to a common goal. A group of scientists did an experiment on two chimpanzees to see if they would use each other to try to get the food out of the box. They found that the they traded tools to get the food out of the box. After this finding, scientists wanted to know where the ability for humans to use teamwork came from. Many animals get food and protect their territory together, but it is unknown if they are actually trying to help the other do so.
In Kenya, another test was conducted with more chimpanzees. Each of the chimpanzees were put into groups of two. Much like the first test, the chimpanzees had to work together in order to get the food out from inside the box. Over 80% of the pairs were successful in getting the food out together.
This is the first evidence that chimpanzees can actually use teamwork to solve a problem. Even though they usually are very protective over their food, scientists found that they will use each other for help if there is no way of getting the food by themselves.
NOS Themes
Science is based of evidence because the scientists conducted several tests and found that Chimpanzees uses each other to solve problems.
Role of motivation and curiosity because the scientists wanted to know the Chimpanzee, which s closely related to humans, could use teamwork.
http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/03/19/origins_of_human_teamwork_found_in_chimpanzees.html
This is such an interesting article! It definitely helps back up the fact the humans and chimpanzees are closely related. Chimpanzees, like humans, will be selfish at times but understand that sometimes cooperation is necessary in order to succeed. When their survival also depend's on their partner, the chimpanzees understood that the only way to succeed was to work together. However, I would like to add a theme of nature of science. Science is collaborative, as multiple scientists worked together on this study.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/22/chimps-teamwork-cooperation-study-experiment_n_2916708.html
ReplyDeleteI found another article on the same study that had an interesting comment. It said that chimpanzees have a lower motivation to do things with others, but will when it benefits them. The comment went on to say that this could be applied in human situations to convince people to help others by showing them that it will benefit them in the long run.
I also found an article that states that chimpanzees are very conscious that they are working together and enjoy working together to get the job done. It is faster and they both benefit from helping the other. In the article below, scientists conducted an experiment where both chimps were needed to open a tricky box that contained treats. This and many other experiments show that chimps, like humans, can cooperate together for a common goal.
ReplyDeletehttp://io9.com/chimps-are-better-at-teamwork-than-anyone-realized-458410295
I also found another article stating the same thing, the chimps were given some grapes in a box, and the two were put together, they finally worked together to get the grapes out of the box. Some scientists think this is how humans work together.
ReplyDeletehttp://elitedaily.com/elite/2013/chimpanzees-work-together/
I think that this shows just how close chimps are to humans. I found this article that shows that monkeys were tought the concept of money. http://www.zmescience.com/research/how-scientists-tught-monkeys-the-concept-of-money-not-long-after-the-first-prostitute-monkey-appeared/
ReplyDelete