Novelty-seeking temperament in captive stumptail macaques (macaca arctoides) and spider monkeys (ateles geoffroyi).

Abstract

Novelty-seeking temperament is defined as the reaction to novel or risk situations and objects, and by the global disposition to explore such stimuli. Our purpose was to describe and compare this trait in primates. For this purpose, a risk-taking Index, a curiosity index, and a novelty-seeking index were correlated to several biosocial variables using 22 captive stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides) and 7 captive spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Spider monkeys scored higher than macaques, males of both species scored higher than females, and dominant macaques were evaluated as more novelty seekers. We suggest that these differences may be because of, among other reasons, the particular social system of each species.

Sex and the stimulus-movement effect: Differences in acquisition of autoshaped responding in cynomolgus monkeys

“…In wild tufted capuchins (Cebus paella), females responded more readily than males to novel objects [55]. However, males responded more readily than females to novel objects in species as diverse as ravens (Corvus corax) [27], stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides), and spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) [56].…”

Pattern of novel object exploration in cynomolgus monkey Macaca fascicularis

“…Previous studies have used several methods to analyze reaction to novel objects in non‐human primates. To compare the novelty‐seeking trait of stump‐tailed macaques ( Macaca arctoides ) and spider monkeys ( Ateles geoffroyi ), these two species were kept in groups separately, and the risk‐taking index (facing a hazardous object) and the curiosity index (facing a nonhazardous object) were assessed by categorizing behaviors in four levels depending on the distance between the subjects and the objects and the frequency of the objects being manipulated . By changing environmental stressors, free‐choice novelty‐seeking behavior was assessed in vervet by coding the novelty‐seeking score according to latency and times of the animal approaching the novel objects .…”

“…Rhesus monkeys of different ages were kept in individual home cages, and the types of behaviors directed toward simple toys were studied . In terms of the method for analyzing novelty exploration in non‐human primates, these studies focused on rating animal behavior either by the extent of their approaching/manipulating novel objects, or by the frequency and duration of novel object contact, with some reference to the specific types of exploratory behavior …”

“…To compare the noveltyseekingtraitofstump-tailedmacaques(Macaca arctoides) and spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), these two species were kept in groups separately,andtherisk-taking index(facing a hazardous object) and the curiosity index (facing a nonhazardous object)were assessed by categorizing behaviors in four levels depending on the distance betweenthesubjectsandtheobjectsandthefrequencyoftheobjects being manipulated. 15,16 By changing environmental stressors, freechoicenovelty-seekingbehaviorwasassessedinvervetbycodingthe novelty-seekingscoreaccordingtolatencyandtimesoftheanimalapproaching the novel objects. 17 Baboonskeptinnewcagesindividually wereexposedtoacertaintypeofnovelobject,andthefrequencyand durationofobjectcontactwereinvestigated,toassesstheirreaction tochangesinspatialandshapevariationofnovelobjects.…”

“…9 Rhesus monkeys of different ageswere kept in individual home cages, and the types of behaviors directed toward simple toys were studied. 18 In terms of themethodforanalyzingnoveltyexplorationinnon-humanprimates, thesestudiesfocusedonratinganimalbehavioreitherbytheextent of their approaching/manipulating novel objects, [15][16][17]…”