Like most people I am right handed. Most individual animals have a left of right preference. Scientists used to think that humans were the only species to have a strong preference towards right handedness across the entire species. A new study by the American Journal of Primatology proves that we are not alone.
Between two primate rescue centers in Spain and Zambia, 114 chimpanzees were studied and found to have a strong right hand preference across the population. In the study the chimpanzees were provided with food hidden inside tubes. The chimpanzees had to use either their fingers of tools to get the food out of the tubes. Scientists monitored the primates to see which hand the chimpanzees used to get the food. The study revealed that chimpanzees showed a preference towards using their right hand to acquire food. The study also revealed that female chimpanzees are more likely to be right handed than males, which is also true in humans.
Prior to this study, this preference was though to be specifically human. Many scientists believe that the right handedness is attributed to asymmetries in the human brain. These asymmetries are thought to be related to the realization of complicated activities that require the use and coordination of both hands. This means that chimpanzees may also have this level of cognitive ability to make that realization.
This study shows that we share even more with out very close cousin the chimpanzee then we originally thought. These shared biological, genetic and hormonal factors modulate our brains. It seems another characteristic thought to be purely human is proven to exist in other species then our own yet again.
Posted by: Sara Weaver
This is very interesting. It wouldn't necessarily have occurred to me to consider the left or right handedness of chimps, but it seems to make sense that they would follow a similar pattern. I'm sure as time goes on we'll discover more characteristics we share with chimpanzees...
ReplyDeletePosted by Dana Mirsky
Interesting article. I wonder if any other species of primates have this same preference to use their right hand to do particular tasks? Since chimpanzees and humans are extremely closely related genetically, it is not surprising that we share so many traits. However, I had never thought of testing primate handedness. Were any chimpanzees found to be left-handed?
ReplyDelete- Muriel Herd
@ Muriel: Some chimpanzees were left handed, but as a species there is a preference towards right handedness similar to humans. It’s the first time any species other then humans have been shown to have a hand preference. It would be interesting to see if any other primates share this preference as well however no studies have been done on other species yet.
ReplyDelete@ Dana: I agree, I am sure that a lot more characteristics between humans and chimpanzees will surface as more research is done.
Posted by: Sara Weaver