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Motor planning in different grasping tasks by capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.).
Sabbatini, Gloria; Meglio, Giusy; Truppa, Valentina.
Affiliation
  • Sabbatini G; Unit of Cognitive Primatology and Primate Center, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Via Ulisse Aldrovandi 16/B, 00197, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: gloria.sabbatini@istc.cnr.it.
  • Meglio G; Unit of Cognitive Primatology and Primate Center, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Via Ulisse Aldrovandi 16/B, 00197, Rome, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
  • Truppa V; Unit of Cognitive Primatology and Primate Center, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Via Ulisse Aldrovandi 16/B, 00197, Rome, Italy.
Behav Brain Res ; 312: 201-11, 2016 10 01.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27283976
Studies on motor planning and action selection in object use reveal that what we choose to do in the present moment depends on our next planned action. In particular, many studies have shown that adult humans initially adopt uncomfortable hand postures to accommodate later task demands (i.e., the end-state comfort effect). Recent studies on action planning in different non-human primates species have provided contrasting results. Here, we tested whether capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.), natural tool users, would show planning abilities in two tasks with varying complexity: (i) an object-retrieval task involving self-directed actions (Experiment 1) and (ii) a tool-using task involving actions directed toward an external target (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, six of 10 monkeys preferentially used a radial grip (i.e., with the thumb-side oriented towards the baited end) to grasp a horizontal dowel with either the left- or right-end baited and bring it to their mouth. In Experiment 2, all six tested capuchins preferentially used a radial grip (i.e., with the thumb-side oriented towards the center of the dowel) to grasp a dowel that was positioned horizontally at different orientations and to dislodge an out-of-reach food reward. Thus, we found that the capuchins showed second-order planning abilities in both tasks, but performance differences emerged in relation to hand preference and learning across sessions. Our findings support the idea that second-order motor planning occurred in an early stage of the primate lineage. Factors affecting the ability of nonhuman primates to estimate motor costs in action selection are discussed.
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Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Hand Strength / Motor Activity / Motor Skills Limits: Animals Language: En Journal: Behav Brain Res Year: 2016 Document type: Article Country of publication: Netherlands

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Hand Strength / Motor Activity / Motor Skills Limits: Animals Language: En Journal: Behav Brain Res Year: 2016 Document type: Article Country of publication: Netherlands