Social bonds facilitate cooperative resource sharing in wild chimpanzees.

ABSTRACT: Why share when access to benefits is uncertain is crucial to our understanding of the evolution of humans' extensive cooperation. Here, we investigated some of the different human sharing hypotheses and potential neuroendocrine mechanisms, in one of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees. The strongest predictor of sharing across food types was the presence of enduring and mutually preferred grooming partners, more than harassment, direct signalling, or trade. Moreover, urinary oxytocin levels were higher after the sharing of both individually and jointly acquired resources compared with controls. We conclude that the emotional connection inherent in social bonds was a key factor determining sharing patterns, with the oxytocinergic system potentially facilitating long-term cooperative e

SUBMITTER: Samuni L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6191705 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature