Effect of Neighbour Calls on Marmoset Behaviour

1. Effect of Neighbour Calls on Marmoset Behaviour Frequency (hZ) .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X Claire F. I. Watson and Christine A. Caldwell, University of Stirling Time (sec) Introduction Results Conclusions Marmoset social behaviour is affected by neighbouring calls through social contagion Captive chimpanzees are influenced by calls from nearby social groups through social contagion. They spend more time acting aggressively when neighbours call aggressively and more time in friendly grooming when neighbours make more grooming calls. 1 Aggression: between groups . . o At a higher frequency of neighbouring calls marmosets spent significantly more time in behaviours and calls within the same category. .. .. o o The Neighbour Effect: . . o .. Evidence supports: o . . • 1. Social contagion in marmosets • 2. Generality of the Neighbour Effect o o .. o Is the behaviour of captive marmosets similarly influenced by the calls of their neighbours? bristle tail bristle twitter loud twitter loud Focal: present shrill shrill Neighbour: twitter loud shrill twitter loud shrill Method p=.004 p=.026 p=.009 p<.001 p<.001 p<.001 p<.001 • Aggression: • within groups 1. Observational Coding 2. Audio coding Press to hear example call Behaviour and calls of 32 focal marmosets coded. All calls during observation audio recorded. Neighbour calls coded from audio recording. 3 Affiliation .. .. .. .. Implications for: ● Social cognition ● Marmoset welfare ● Marmoset behaviour aggressive within Focal: group behaviour Neighbour: chatter call .. .. . . .. observer .. .. p=.043 .. .. References .. .. .. .. Watson CFI, Caldwell CA (under review) Neighbor effects in marmosets: Social contagion of agonism and affiliation in captive Callithrix jacchus. American Journal of Primatology 3. Analysis share groom chirp Focal: food invite Neighbour: chirp call Focal marmoset behaviour compared between observations with a low frequency and ahigh frequency of neighbour vocalisations within same behavioural category. Acknowledgements With kind thanks to Prof H M Buchanan-Smith for her help and for her photograph. Many thanks also to Keith Morris and the staff of the MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, and to Mr W M J Holland, Mr I M Harlow and Ms C A Howie. p=.012 p=.024 p=.031