You would have probably noticed the Capuchin monkeys on the big screen, starring in popular sequel movies such the Night at the Museum (as Dexter and Able) and Pirates of the Caribbean (as Jack).
The Capuchin monkeys who starred in popular movies.
However beyond the Capuchins’ fame in Hollywood movies, scientists are discovering the Capuchins’ intelligence both in laboratory settings and also in the wild. Capuchins are regarded as the “brainiest monkeys”, because they not only have the largest brain-to-body ratio of any nonhuman primate (Fragaszy, Visalberghi, & Fedigan, 2004), but they are also have a stunning ability to use tools and learn how to use “token exchange”.
Cooperation and sense a fairness are the fascinating themes of the video. Vulcan and Virgil, a pair of tufted Capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) cooperated by solving the flint and hazelnut problem. Virgil gave Vulcan a fair share of the hazelnuts, showing their cooperation and a sense of fairness.
Without further ado, the video would show you their fascinating behaviour!
Capuchin monkeys are able to learn “token exchange”, where a token could be associated and exchanged for rewards or tools (Westergaard, Evans, & Howell, 2007). However, when Vulcan realised that Virgil received a grape instead of a biscuit, he refused to accept the biscuit anymore. This not only showed the food preference for the grape, but also the “inequity aversion” behaviour of Vulcan when he pushed away the biscuit and kept trying for a grape instead.
On the other hand, a study found that the inequity aversion could instead be due to a “frustration effect” induced by changing the Capuchins from their role as “models receiving a high-value food” to the role of witnesses “receiving a low-value food” (Silberberg et al., 2009). The study also considered that the correlate between inequity and frustration is not as strong because the frustration of nonhuman primates is variable.
Nevertheless, the cooperation and sense of fairness, a “point of principle” as narrated by Sir David Attenborough, are indeed captivating abilities that the Capuchin monkeys have. A short blog also commented and provide further insights on the video (The Subjective Lens, 2010). Beyond the laboratory settings, there are also remarkable discoveries in the wild. The hyperlinks to the videos are provided below!
In the wild - the Capuchin using a hammer and anvil to crack open nuts.
References
Books, Articles and Blogposts
“A sense of fair play,” by The Subjective Lens. The Subjective Lens… adventures of a cowboyastronomer, 5 Sep 2009. URL: http://subjectivelens.com/blog/?cat=24 (accessed on 5 Apr 2010).
“Crystal the Capuchin Monkey”, by PETSblogs.com. PETSblogs.com. URL: http://petsblogs.com/2009/12/crystal-the-capuchin-monkey/ (accessed on 5 Apr 2010).
Fragaszy, D. M., Visalberghi, E., & Fedigan, L. M. (2004). The complete capuchin: the biology of the genus. USA : Cambridge University Press
Silberberg, A., Crescimbene, L., Addessi, E., Anderson, J. R., & Visalberghi, E. (2009). Does inequity aversion depend on a frustration effect? A test with capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). Animal Cognition, 12, 505-509.
Takimoto, A., Kuroshima, H., & Fujita, K. (2010). Capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) are sensitive to others’ reward: an experimental analysis of food-choice for conspecifics. Animal Cognition, 13, 249-261.
Westergaard, G. C., Evans, T. A., & Howell, S. (2007). Token mediated tool exchange between tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). Animal Cognition, 10, 407-414.
Videos
“Monkey Cooperation and Fairness (excerpt from the Monkey Puzzle),” by tehinfidel. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAFQ5kUHPkY (accessed on 5 Apr 2010).
“BBC Two Programmes, Wildlife on Two, Capuchins: The Monkey Puzzle”, narrated by David Attenborough. URL: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjE5MjQ1MzY=.html (accessed on 5 Apr 2010).
“Monkey’s bluff – Clever Monkeys – BBC Earth,” by BBC Earth YouTube Channel, 18 May 2009. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c7NEf6qFlc&feature=PlayList&p=0CFFD978C8FF3D27&playnext_from=PL&index=2 (accessed 5 Apr 2010).
“Monkeys on the lookout – Clever Monkeys – BBC Earth,” by BBC Earth YouTube Channel, 20 Jul 2009. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxT8YS4VpGk&feature=PlayList&p=0CFFD978C8FF3D27&playnext_from=PL&index=4(accessed 5 Apr 2010).
“Nutters – the monkey production line – Clever Monkeys – BBC Earth,” by BBC Earth YouTube Channel, 20 Jul 2009. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFWTXU2jE14&feature=PlayList&p=0CFFD978C8FF3D27&playnext_from=PL&index=5(accessed 5 Apr 2010).
Images
“Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) and the little monkey in movie Night at the Museum wallpaper,” by mi9.com. mi9.com. URL: http://mi9.com/c20p1g1573f1i21549/larry-daley-ben-stiller-and-the-little-monkey-in-movie-night-at-the-museum/ (accessed on 5 Apr 2010).
“Monkey Trouble,” by Sentinelrv. GameSpot Forums – The HeadCrab Union Board – Monkey Trouble. URL: http://www.gamespot.com/pages/unions/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25728886&union_id=55 (accessed on 5 Apr 2010).
“Night At The Museum 2: Battle Of The Smithsonian Wallpapers,” by www.nightatthemuseummovie.com. Entertainment Trend. URL: http://www.entertainmenttrend.com/night-at-the-museum-2-battle-of-the-smithsonian-movie-review/ (accessed on 5 Apr 2010).
“D1X Nut Crackers,” by birthrightearth. Flickr. URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/birthrightearth/3409430093/in/photostream/ (accessed on 5 Apr 2010)