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Facial and Vocal Individual Recognition in the Common Chimpanzee

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Abstract

The present study was carried out to determine if facial and vocal recognition of familiar individuals and vocal-to-facial matching of familiar individuals occurred in common chimpanzees. The matching of different facial portraits and “pant hoot” vocalizations correctly to an array of six facial portraits of familiar individuals randomly sorted from trial-to-trial occurred at greater than chance levels, p >.026. By correctly matching individual chimpanzee faces and vocalizations, the chimpanzees demonstrated their ability to recognize familiar facial configurations and long-distance vocalizations and match these across modes of sensation, prerequisites for monitoring the location and state of fellow group members and avoiding aggressive interactions with less related strangers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Communications Labs., Boys Town Institute, Bucknell University, 555 N. 30th St., Omaha, NE, 68131, USA

    Harold R. Bauer

  2. Penn State University, USA

    M. Michelle Philip

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  1. Harold R. Bauer
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  2. M. Michelle Philip
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Additional information

This study was made possible by the cooperation and assistance of William Lemmon, Director, Institute for Primate Studies, University of Oklahoma, Norman, and his assistants. We thank the Departments of Psychology and Linguistics of Bucknell University for support during the research and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, West Germany, NSF, and the NINCDS for support in preparation of the manuscript.

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Bauer, H.R., Philip, M.M. Facial and Vocal Individual Recognition in the Common Chimpanzee. Psychol Rec 33, 161–170 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394834

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