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BOB HIRSHON (host):
Chimps and punishment. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.
Chimps are highly social, but unlike humans, they don’t punish crimes against their neighbors. This according to a study at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. Psychologist Keith Jensen, also of Queen Mary University in London, says their chimps watched another chimp steal food from a third. The witness then had the opportunity to stop the thief from eating, by collapsing the food table.
KEITH JENSEN (Queen Mary University/Max Planck Institute)
If they have rules, such as stealing is bad – not just stealing from me, but stealing is bad – then this should be very upsetting, and then they should collapse the table in response.
HIRSHON:
But they didn’t, at least no more than in neutral situations. In contrast, chimps that were stolen from directly often punished the offender.
JENSEN:
The chimpanzees who lost food will get very upset, and will collapse the table, preventing the other chimpanzee from eating.
HIRSHON:
The results suggest that humans may be uniquely predisposed to seek justice for others. I’m Bob Hirshon for AAAS, the Science Society.
