Adolescence is a difficult period, not just for humans but also for our evolutionary relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos. Evolutionary anthropologist Rachna Reddy, a Radcliffe fellow, is investigating why this stage is so prolonged and challenging. She believes that studying these primates can provide insights into universal human traits.
During a presentation on May 13, Reddy shared findings from her decade of research at the Ngogo Chimpanzee Project in Uganda’s Kibale National Park. The research indicates that the extended and difficult adolescent phase may hold evolutionary significance. Chimpanzees, like humans and bonobos, live in fission-fusion societies, forming various social connections while sometimes opting for solitude.
Reddy described how young chimpanzees transition from relying on caregivers to forming new social bonds. This shift begins around ages 8 to 12 as they start making independent decisions about social interactions. Juvenile chimps may show signs of fear or social anxiety, hesitating before joining groups.
In childhood, chimpanzees receive care and protection from non-family adults, but this changes dramatically at puberty, when they face aggression. Reddy, also a University of Utah professor, noted this as a new experience for adolescent chimps, who continue to engage socially despite the risks.
Young chimps actively invest in relationships and participate in grooming, crucial for adult bonds, even without reciprocation. Reddy suggests this persistence despite rejection is vital for learning to form adult relationships. Female chimps face higher stakes, leaving their natal groups to settle in new ones—uncommon in the animal kingdom.
Reddy highlighted that a female chimpanzee’s social status is largely determined in her first year in a new group. Both male and female adolescent chimps observe adult behaviors like grooming, but females show more interest, especially before dispersing to new groups.
If humans resemble these primates, Reddy believes our adolescence is also a crucial time for learning cooperation and social contribution, skills essential in personal and community relationships. To hear more from Reddy, tune into the Radcliffe Institute’s podcast, “Born Curious.”
Original Source: news.harvard.edu
