“Experiment MethodologyThe research group was inspired to pursue the concern of how long apes remember their peers because of their own experiences working with apes– the sense that the animals recognized them when they d go to, even if they d been away for a long while. The researchers also collected info about the relationships each individual had with former groupmates– if there had actually been positive or negative interactions in between them, etc.The team welcomed apes to get involved in the experiment by providing them juice, and while they sipped it, the apes where shown 2 side-by-side photographs– apes they d when known and total complete strangers. Utilizing a non-invasive eye-tracking device, the group measured where the apes looked and for how long, speculating they d look longer at apes they recognized.Findings and ImplicationsThe apes looked significantly longer at previous groupmates, no matter how long they d been apart.
“Experiment MethodologyThe research study group was motivated to pursue the question of how long apes remember their peers since of their own experiences working with apes– the sense that the animals recognized them when they d visit, even if they d been away for a long while. The researchers likewise gathered info about the relationships each individual had with former groupmates– if there had actually been unfavorable or positive interactions between them, etc.The team welcomed apes to take part in the experiment by offering them juice, and while they drank it, the apes where shown 2 side-by-side pictures– apes they d as soon as known and total complete strangers. Using a non-invasive eye-tracking gadget, the team measured where the apes looked and for how long, hypothesizing they d look longer at apes they recognized.Findings and ImplicationsThe apes looked significantly longer at previous groupmates, no matter how long they d been apart. Credit: Johns Hopkins UniversityThe results recommend great ape social memory could last beyond 26 years, the bulk of their 40 to 60-year typical life expectancy, and might be similar to that of human beings, which starts to decline after 15 years but can continue as long as 48 years after separation.”This pattern of social relationships forming long-term memory in bonobos and chimpanzees is similar to what we see in people, that our own social relationships also appear to shape our long-term memory of individuals,” Lewis said.Additional Insights and Future ResearchThe work also raises the questions of whether the apes are missing out on individuals theyre no longer with, particularly their pals and household.