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Fair refusal by capuchin monkeys

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah F. Brosnan

    (Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University)

  • Frans B. M. de Waal

    (Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University)

Abstract

We have shown1 that animals compare their own rewards with those of others, and accept or reject rewards according to their relative value. Our aim was not to demonstrate that capuchin monkeys make a human response to inequality, but rather to elucidate evolutionary precursors to inequity aversion. We use this term as in ref. 2 — “people resist inequitable outcomes; that is, they are willing to give up some material pay-off to move in the direction of more equitable outcomes” — and specifically focus on “disadvantageous inequity aversion”2. The monkeys in our experiment could not change the reward division, and hence could not actively avoid inequality, but we wanted to determine whether they would at least recognize inequality if subjected to it. We found that the capuchins reacted negatively, refusing to complete the interaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah F. Brosnan & Frans B. M. de Waal, 2004. "Fair refusal by capuchin monkeys," Nature, Nature, vol. 428(6979), pages 140-140, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:428:y:2004:i:6979:d:10.1038_428140b
    DOI: 10.1038/428140b
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    Cited by:

    1. John Hartwick, 2010. "Encephalization and division of labor by early humans," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 77-100, July.
    2. Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn & Joan Maya Mazelis, 2017. "More Unequal in Income, More Unequal in Wellbeing," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(3), pages 953-975, July.
    3. Watzek, Julia & Brosnan, Sarah, 2020. "Capuchin monkeys (Sapajus [Cebus] apella) are more susceptible to contrast than to decoy and social context effects," OSF Preprints 3s4km, Center for Open Science.

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