Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Capuchin Monkeys Experience Test Anxiety, Too

 

   A recent article in Science Daily explains that when capuchin monkeys were administered a computerized matching test in which the difference in difficultly was removed, some of the monkeys struggled under pressure. These monkeys, located at Georgia State's Language Research Center, were given rewards when harder tests were passed, and put in timeout when they answered incorrectly, meanwhile, other trials were conducted using difficultly levels the monkeys were familiar with.

    The researchers had discovered that during the monkeys' performances, there was a significant level of cortisol, a hormone in our bodies that responds to stress. This evidence could possibly be used to create a better understanding of the evolution of cognition in humans, and now other species.

For more information on this study, click here.


1 comment:

  1. This discovery is amazing and I would have never thought that test anxiety could translate to other species. It makes sense because of evolution and possible relation to primates, but I had no idea that they also experience pressure during harder tests. It makes me wonder if other research could be done to test other types of anxiety due to other environmental factors and see if the cortisol levels also remain increased.

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