2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Toward an Evolutionary Thanatology
| Project/Area Number |
18K18693
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2018-06-29 – 2021-03-31
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| Keywords | nonhuman primates / children / death / dying / awareness / cognition / thanatology |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The first experimental study, on the reactions of individually housed chimpanzees to a dead bird associated with a chemical cue to death (the necromone putrescine), has been completed. I am currently writing up this experiment for publication. The behaviour of six chimpanzees was analyzed in the presence of a taxidermically prepared small bird along with the odor of putrescine (repugnant for humans), or control chemical substances, namely ammonia (for humans, unpleasant but not repugnant) or water. The same olfactory stimuli were also used with a control object. Video analyses revealed that following initial approach, the apes retreated sooner from both visual stimuli in the presence of putrescine, but not the other olfactory signals. This result shows that chimpanzees resemble humans in that they find the smell of putrescine aversive, and it will contribute significantly to the debate about why chimpanzee mothers who continue to carry their decomposing dead infants tolerate the bad smell, and why other members of the community also tolerate it.
We hope to do a similar study with horses.
For other research: I have collected more than 700 images of dead and living animals belonging to more that 30 species. These images will be used in laboratory-based visual discrimination and/or match-to-sample studies with monkeys and apes.
We have finalized animated stimuli of a "chimpanzee" and a "robot" climbing and falling off a ladder. These will be used to assess young children's looking patterns and thoughts about the events they see in the animations.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
The first study on chimpanzees' responses to the death-related odor of putrescine has been completed, and the results are being written up.
Preparations are almost complete for presenting pictorial examples living vs. nonliving animals to nonhuman primates, to examine their recognition of the different states.
Animated stimuli are now ready for the study of children's perception and understanding of "fatal" accidents for a chimpanzee and a robot. A native Japanese-speaking student has been recruited to conduct the test sessions and interviews. This study must await the relaxation of restrictions due to coronavirus.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Summer 2020: Start of study on nonhuman primates' responses to images depicting live vs. dead animals of a wide range of species, to explore their abilities to discriminate between the two categories, and their behavioral and emotional reactions.
Late summer 2020: Start of second study on effects of putrescine on nonhuman responses: either subliminal levels in chimpanzees, or effects in another species (probably horsed)
Fall 2020: Start of study on children's reactions to "fatal" accidents in a robot and a chimpanzee (animations)
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| Causes of Carryover |
Amount will be used to purchase necessary equipment and consumables, and to conduct the studies. Costs will also go toward international conference participation, and publication of resulting papers.
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