2016 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Cultural variation in Japanese macaques
| Project/Area Number |
15H06307
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
Watson Claire 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 研究員 (10639751)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-08-28 – 2017-03-31
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| Keywords | culture / traditions / Japanese macaques / Macaca fuscata / intergroup variation / survey / social learning |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
We reviewed the existing literature for behaviours reported as potential traditions. We present a comprehensive synthesis of potential traditions in the species. We categorised the potential traditions into food (foraging/processing behaviour or food choice) and non-food related (social/communicative, comfort/hygiene or other) behaviours. Each potential tradition was further categorised as either directly related, indirectly related or unrelated to human influence, including provisioning. We identified a total of 37 individual behavioural traditions from the existing literature; 16, about half, related to human influence, and 21 apparently unrelated to human influence. For research result dissemination, I have been accepted to give a talk at an international conference this August. I will also submit a paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Delineating traditions in wild and free-ranging monkeys may help us to better understand the phylogenetic origins of human culture. I have visited 10 different sites, across Japan, with free-ranging or wild populations of Japanese macaques (Arashiyama; Koshima Island; Jigokudani; Shimokita Penninsula; Kinkazan Island; Yakushima Island; Awajishima Island; Shodoshima Island; Takasakiyama; and Minooh). Photographs and video will be used to vreate an open access website on potential traditions in this species. I have built up a network of contacts; people across Japan who have carried out long-term research at each of these sites and will be able to publish the results of the questionnaire survey, across sites, in the future.
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| Research Progress Status |
28年度が最終年度であるため、記入しない。
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
28年度が最終年度であるため、記入しない。
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