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Comparative Personality Assessment of Three Captive Primate Species: Macaca nigra, Macaca sylvanus, and Saimiri sciureus

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Abstract

Comparative studies of primate personality offer informative insights into the evolutionary origins of personality structure in primate species. Primate personality research has, however, focused on a limited number of species. We investigated personality in three relatively understudied species: Sulawesi black crested macaques (Macaca nigra), Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus), and common squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). We sent a 38-item questionnaire to all European zoological institutions holding the study species and keepers were required to rate individuals on all items. Assessments achieved good levels of interrater reliability. Principal components analysis (PCA) revealed Sociability and Dominance personality dimensions in all study species, an Emotionality dimension in both M. nigra and M. sylvanus, a Cautiousness dimension in S. sciureus, and a Human–Animal Sociability dimension in M. sylvanus. Sociability and Dominance dimensions were shown to have good construct validity, as assessed through appropriate relationships with sex and age and correlations with behavioral measures. The Sociability, Dominance, Emotionality, and Cautiousness dimensions were comparable with analogous dimensions in other primate species but aggressive-type traits did not load onto the Dominance dimension in the two Macaca spp. We suggest that this may be attributed to their more tolerant social systems compared to those of other primate species. The Human–Animal Sociability dimension could not be compared with other primate studies as, to date, there has been limited investigation of human-directed personality dimensions in captive primates. Our findings suggest that the two Macaca species are more similar to each other, in terms of their personality structure, than either is to S. sciureus, which suggests phylogenetic similarity is an important predictor of personality. However, further comparative analysis of a wider range of primate species is needed to inform theories regarding the evolution of primate personality structure.

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Acknowledgments

We could not have completed this study without the cooperation of the management and staff at all of the study zoos: Antwerp Zoo, Apenheul Primate Park, Artis Zoo, Edinburgh Zoo, Chester Zoo, Cotswold Wild Animal Park, Colchester Zoo, Dudley Zoo, Durrell Zoo, Folly Farm Zoo, Howletts Wild Animal Park, Living Links Centre (at Edinburgh Zoo) Marwell Wildlife, Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, Newquay Zoo Environmental Park, Nurenberg Zoo, Novosbirsk Zoo, Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, Shaldon Zoo, South Lakes Wild Animal Park, Trotters World, Warsaw Zoo, Wingham Wildlife Park, and Woburn Safari Park. The Newquay and Paignton Zoos and the University of Exeter provided financial support. The Primate Society of Great Britain and the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust also awarded grants for research trips. We also thank Alex Weiss, Joah Madden, and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.

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Author notes

  1. V. A. Melfi

    Present address: Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, Newquay Zoo, Trenance Gardens, Cornwall, TR7 2LZ, UK

    K. R. Baker & V. A. Melfi

  2. The University of Exeter UK, University of Exeter, Washington Singer Laboratories, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK

    K. R. Baker & S. E. G. Lea

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  1. K. R. Baker
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  2. S. E. G. Lea
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Correspondence to K. R. Baker.

Electronic supplementary material

Species ethograms (ESM Appendix 1) and a full breakdown of trait loadings from principal components analysis (ESM Appendix 2) are available online.

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Baker, K.R., Lea, S.E.G. & Melfi, V.A. Comparative Personality Assessment of Three Captive Primate Species: Macaca nigra, Macaca sylvanus, and Saimiri sciureus . Int J Primatol 36, 625–646 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-015-9843-3

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