Treasure Cousineau
Pronouns: She/Her
Research Mentor(s): Thore Bergman
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Psychology / LSA
Program:
Authors:
Session: Session 2: 10:00 am – 10:50 am
Poster: 85
Abstract
Despite the vast research on capuchin monkey vocalizations, many things still remain unknown regarding the nature and purpose behind these different vocalizations. One specific vocalization type is the mild vocal threat, which is thought to be used when encountering other monkeys or stimuli, and is often interpreted to be a form of aggression. This study aims to investigate this aggression using data collected from recorded vocalizations, including the context behind when the call took place, where it took place, and how many other monkeys were around during the call. By collecting this type of data, we are hoping to find patterns in the usage of these calls to further understand why they are used. After mapping the capuchin home range, the location data was used to plot points where mild threat vocalizations were observed. The research and data collection are still ongoing, so there is not a clear conclusion yet. However, once enough data is collected, and there is a large enough sample size to create a reasonable analysis based on the map, we will be able to learn more about capuchins and their vocalizations. Knowing more about capuchins and their vocalization strategies is vital to understanding more about our living ancestors, as well as how us as humans affect the way these animals live.
