Onset and early use of gestural communication in nonhuman great apes

Article


Schneider, C., Call, Josep and Liebal, Katja 2012. Onset and early use of gestural communication in nonhuman great apes. American Journal of Primatology. 74 (2), pp. 102-113.
AuthorsSchneider, C., Call, Josep and Liebal, Katja
Abstract

The early gesturing of six bonobos, eight chimpanzees, three gorillas, and eight orangutans was systematically documented using focal animal sampling. Apes' were observed during their first 20 months of life in an effort to investigate: (i) the onset of gesturing; (ii) the order in which signals of different sensory modalities appear; (iii) the extent to which infants make use of these modalities in their early signaling; and (iv) the behavioral contexts where signals are employed. Orangutans differed in important gestural characteristics to African ape species. Most notably, they showed the latest gestural onset and were more likely to use their early signals in food-related interactions. Tactile and visual signals appeared similarly early across all four species. In African apes, however, visual signaling gained prominence over time while tactile signaling decreased. These findings suggest that motor ability, which encourages independence from caregivers, is an important antecedent, among others, in gestural onset and development, a finding which warrants further investigation.

Keywordsgesture; onset; great apes
JournalAmerican Journal of Primatology
Journal citation74 (2), pp. 102-113
ISSN0275-2565
Year2012
PublisherWiley
Web address (URL)http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.21011
Publication dates
Print01 Jan 2012
Publication process dates
Deposited30 Sep 2013
Copyright informationThe definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.com
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License
CC BY-ND
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