Further support for the Gradual Audiomotor Evolution (GAE) hypothesis?

Chimpanzees (left: Chloe, right: Cleo) conducting a finger-tapping task.

Recently four chimpanzees –all born at the Primate Reserach Institute, Kyoto University–  participated in a finger-tapping experiment, using a paradigm that have been explored for decades with humans (Repp, 2005). Two chimps, Chloe and Cleo, showed signs of synchronization, according to a study that just came out in Scientific Reports (Yu & Tomonaga, 2015). Although the results may have limitations in generalizing to chimpanzees as a species, this might be further evidence for the Gradual Audiomotor Evolution (GAE) hypothesis (Merchant & Honing, 2014).

[See also earlier blog entry]

Merchant, H., & Honing, H. (2014). Are non-human primates capable of rhythmic entrainment? Evidence for the gradual audiomotor evolution hypothesis. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 7 (274) 1-8. doi 10.3389/fnins.2013.00274

Repp, B. (2005). Sensorimotor synchronization: A review of the tapping literature Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 12 (6), 969-992 DOI: 10.3758/BF03206433

Yu, L., & Tomonaga, M. (2015). Interactional synchrony in chimpanzees: Examination through a finger-tapping experiment Scientific Reports, 5 DOI: 10.1038/srep10218