Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2007

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Experimental Psychology

Committee Chair

Mary Lee Jensvold

Second Committee Member

Lori K. Sheeran

Third Committee Member

Roger Fouts

Abstract

In this study, gestures performed in the greeting and reassurance context were investigated in four groups of chimpanzees living in American and African sanctuaries. Over 85 hr of video recording at three African sanctuaries and 798 hr of video recording at an American sanctuary were analyzed for greeting and reassurance gestures. The four chimpanzee groups demonstrated various differences in both greeting and reassurance gestures. Groups differed in the proportion of time spent in each context, the gesture frequency per minute, and the gesture types used. Some gestures were group specific, meaning they occurred only in one group; some gestures were group typical, meaning they occurred in some but not all groups; and some gestures occurred in all groups and are candidates for chimpanzee universals. Within gestures found in all groups, systematic variations in placement were investigated. Gestures differed in placement locations of gestures, similar to those found in human cultures.

Comments

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