Personality and Temperament in Nonhuman Primates

About this book

The result of a symposium hosted by the American Society of Primatologists, Personality and Temperament in Nonhuman Primates attests to the huge strides made in recent decades by researchers studying primates and their behavior. Research into the notion of 'personality' in nonhuman primates can be traced back to the 1930s and 40s, when primatologists began to notice large individual differences in the behavioral and emotional disposition of monkeys and apes. Jane Goodall's work at Gombe National Park pushed the field further, but its perceived anthropomorphism was frowned on for a time. Undeterred, primatologists continued to investigate aspects of personality at Gombe. Peter Buirski's 'Emotions Profile Index' and the Madingley questionnaire used by Joan Stevenson-Hinde and her group were vital developments and even informed work in other species.

With contributions from some of the leading researchers currently exploring the topic, this collection fulfils a need for a comprehensive survey of the latest developments in the study of personality and temperament in nonhuman primates. Yet it also contextualizes the subject by covering early work in the field as well as key ongoing issues such as methodology. A series of chapters then provide analysis of empirical studies that investigate aspects of primate temperament as diverse as impulsivity and aggression and the ecological implications of animal personality. Personality and Temperament in Nonhuman Primates, then, demonstrates the richness and diversity of the field as well as being a source of inspiration for researchers dedicated to investigating the subject.

Contents

Beginnings of Personality Measurement in Non Human Primates

Chapter 1. Individual Characteristics - Weaving Psychological and Ethological Approaches Joan Stevenson-Hinde and Camilla A. Hinde Some Basic Issues in Personality Measurement in Non Human Primates
Chapter 2. Comparison of Methods for Assessing Personality in Non-Human Primates Hanni Freeman, Samuel d. Gosling, and Steven J. Shapiro
Chapter 3. Personality in Nonhuman Primates: What We Can Learn from Personality Psychology Jana Uher
Chapter 4. Personality from the Perspective of a Primatologist James E. King and Alexander Weiss Empirical Studies
Chapter 5. Objective Behavioral Tests of Temperament in Nonhuman Primates Lynn A. Fairbanks and Matthew J. Jorgensen
Chapter 6. Predicting Primate Behavior from Personality Ratings Lindsay Murray
Chapter 7. Primate Personality and Behavioral Endocrimology Stephanie F. Anestis
Chapter 8. Chimpanzee Faces under the Magnifying Glass: Emerging Methods Reveal Cross- Species Similarities and Individuality Kim A. Bard, Augusta D. Gaspar, and Sarah-Jane Vick
Chapter 9. Nonhuman Primate Personality and Immunity: Mechanisms of Health and Disease John P. Capitanio
Chapter 10. Impulsivity and Aggression as Personality Traits in Nonhuman Primates J. Dee Higley, Stephan J. Suomi, and Andrew C. Chaffin
Chapter 11. Reactivity and Behavioral Inhibition as Personality Traits in Nonhuman Primates Stephan J. Suomi, Andrew C. Chaffin, and J. Dee Higley
Chapter 12. Behavioral Syndromes: A behavioral Ecologist's view on the Evolutionary and Ecological Implications of Animal Personality Andrew Sih

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