Doctoral Dissertation Research: A test of the vocal grooming hypothesis in the gelada

博士论文研究：狒狒声音修饰假说的检验

• 批准号: 1340911
• 负责人: Jacinta Beehner
• 金额: $ 2.49万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1340911&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; test; vocal

One intriguing hypothesis about the origins of human language is that it emerged as a 'social tool,' facilitating our abilities to maintain relationships with an increasing number of people (the "social grooming hypothesis"). The basic idea is that social grooming (which facilitates a bond with only one individual) is replaced by vocal 'grooming' (which facilitates bonds with several individuals, simultaneously). Indeed, social bonds have adaptive value for both humans and non-human primates. Thus, if vocal contact represents an efficient way to maintain relationships, then selection should favor its development. Despite a great deal of theoretical support, however, the social grooming hypothesis has yet to be tested empirically. Geladas provide an excellent model to test this because they are highly social, exceptionally vocal, and uniquely time-constrained because they must spend much of their day foraging on grass. This research by doctoral student Elizabeth Johnson (University of Michigan), under the supervision of Dr. Jacinta Beehner, will explore the strategies that female geladas employ to maintain their social networks, with a specific emphasis on when vocalizations are used, the responses they elicit, and whether such vocal contact supplements or replaces social grooming when time budgets are particularly strained. By utilizing a combination of methods, including behavioral observation, social network analysis, analysis of 'stress' hormones, and acoustic analysis of recorded vocalization, this research will elucidate one possible route by which human ancestors may have maintained social bonds, allowing for larger groups and greater group cohesion. Results from this study not only contribute to a better understanding of female gelada social relationships, but also provide a comparative dataset for on-going collaborative projects on closely related species (e.g., anubis and hamadryas baboons). Further, this research extends beyond academia, raising awareness about the study site (the Simien Mountains National Park of Ethiopia, a World Heritage Site in Danger) and the study species, an endemic species to the highlands of Ethiopia with a conservation status labeled as "Threatened" by the IUCN Red List. Finally, this doctoral dissertation research project contributes to the long-term viability of the park by hiring a local field assistant (providing both employment opportunities as well as continuing education for these young adults), working closely with park officials, and providing educational lectures to Ethiopian nationals.

关于人类语言起源的一个有趣的假设是，它作为一种“社交工具”出现，促进我们与越来越多的人维持关系的能力（“社交修饰假说”）。其基本思想是，社交修饰（促进仅与一个人建立联系）被声音“修饰”（同时促进与多个人建立联系）所取代。事实上，社会纽带对于人类和非人类灵长类动物都具有适应性价值。因此，如果声音接触是维持关系的有效方式，那么选择应该有利于其发展。然而，尽管有大量的理论支持，社交修饰假说仍有待实证检验。狒狒提供了一个很好的模型来测试这一点，因为它们具有高度社交性、异常发声，并且时间有限，因为它们必须花大量时间在草地上觅食。这项研究由博士生 Elizabeth Johnson（密歇根大学）在 Jacinta Beehner 博士的指导下进行，将探讨雌性狒狒维持社交网络的策略，特别强调何时使用发声以及它们引起的反应，以及当时间预算特别紧张时，这种声音接触是否可以补充或取代社交礼仪。通过综合利用行为观察、社交网络分析、“压力”激素分析以及录制发声的声学分析等方法，这项研究将阐明人类祖先维持社会联系的一种可能途径，从而允许更大的群体和更大的团体凝聚力。这项研究的结果不仅有助于更好地了解雌性狒狒的社会关系，而且还为正在进行的密切相关物种（例如阿努比斯和狒狒）的合作项目提供了比较数据集。此外，这项研究超越了学术界，提高了人们对研究地点（埃塞俄比亚塞米恩山国家公园，濒危世界遗产）和研究物种的认识，该物种是埃塞俄比亚高地的特有物种，保护状态标记为“受到世界自然保护联盟红色名录的威胁。最后，该博士论文研究项目通过聘请当地现场助理（为这些年轻人提供就业机会和继续教育）、与公园官员密切合作以及为公园提供教育讲座，为公园的长期生存做出贡献。埃塞俄比亚国民。