Seeing group members eating a familiar food enhances the acceptance of novel foods in capuchin monkeys

摘要

In primates, social context is one of the factors that increases the acceptance of novel foods. Previous experiments showed that tufted capuchins, cebus apella., eat significantly more of novel foods when in the presence of group members eating the same novel foods. Several processes may have led to these results. The mere presence of group members may reduce the individual's stress of being alone, or its neophobic response and, consequently, may increase its food consumption.