Chimpanzee communities are composed of a specific hierarchy and each individual is aware of his position relatively to others. My master thesis will focus on the comprehension that chimpanzees have of other individuals’ relationships (third party relationships) and how they use this knowledge for their own benefit. More specifically, in the context of aggression, I will investigate the victim’s behavioural and vocal response depending on the presence or absence of other individuals during the aggression. It has been proposed that screams are used to recruit support from other members of the community, whereas pant grunts are usually considered as a sign of submission. Knowing this, we can predict that chimpanzees would be more likely to scream if there are potential helpers around. Data has been collected in the Waibira chimpanzee community from Budongo forest in Uganda.

Contact

lorene.jimenez@unine.ch