Videos of conspecifics elicit interactive looking patterns and facial expressions in monkeys
Open accessAbstract
A broader understanding of the neural basis of social behavior in primates requires the use of species-specific stimuli that elicit spontaneous, but reproducible and tractable behaviors. In this context of natural behaviors, individual variation can further inform about the factors that influence social interactions. To approximate natural social interactions similar to those documented by field studies, we used unedited video footage to induce in viewer monkeys spontaneous facial expressions and looking patterns in the laboratory setting. Three adult male monkeys (Macaca mulatta), previously behaviorally and genetically (5-HTTLPR) characterized, were monitored while they watched 10 s video segments depicting unfamiliar monkeys (movie monkeys) displaying affiliative, neutral, and aggressive behaviors. The gaze and head orientation of the movie monkeys alternated between "averted" and "directed" at the viewer. The viewers were not reinforced for watching the movies, thus their looking patterns indicated their interest and social engagement with the stimuli. The behavior of the movie monkey accounted for differences in the looking patterns and facial expressions displayed by the viewers. We also found multiple significant differences in the behavior of the viewers that correlated with their interest in these stimuli. These socially relevant dynamic stimuli elicited spontaneous social behaviors, such as eye-contact induced reciprocation of facial expression, gaze aversion, and gaze following, that were previously not observed in response to static images. This approach opens a unique opportunity to understanding the mechanisms that trigger spontaneous social behaviors in humans and nonhuman primates.
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Gaze follows were scored manually using previously established criteria.
“Gaze follows were scored manually using previously established criteria (Mosher et al., 2011).”
From Oxytocin enhances gaze-following responses to videos of natural social behavior in adult male rhesus monkeys (2016) · cites this paper as Mosher et al., 2011
Gaze following saccades occurred relatively infrequently, in response to 11.85% (min = 3.94%, max = 20.67%) of video presentations.
“Replicating previous reports, gaze following saccades occurred relatively infrequently, in response to 11.85% (min = 3.94%, max = 20.67%) of video presentations (Mosher et al., 2011).”
From Oxytocin enhances gaze-following responses to videos of natural social behavior in adult male rhesus monkeys (2016) · cites this paper as Mosher et al., 2011
Videos which depict the natural behaviors of monkeys reliably elicit gaze following from viewer monkeys.
“We have previously shown that videos which depict the natural behaviors of monkeys reliably elicit gaze following from viewer monkeys (Mosher et al., 2011).”
From Oxytocin enhances gaze-following responses to videos of natural social behavior in adult male rhesus monkeys (2016) · cites this paper as Mosher et al., 2011
Gaze following can be reliably elicited by naturalistic, dynamic social stimuli.
“The results presented here confirm our previous findings that gaze following can be reliably elicited by naturalistic, dynamic social stimuli (Mosher et al., 2011)”
From Oxytocin enhances gaze-following responses to videos of natural social behavior in adult male rhesus monkeys (2016) · cites this paper as Mosher et al., 2011
In response to videos, viewers switch from simply staring at the most salient feature (the eyes) to attempting to engage the stimulus monkey in social interactions.
“Indeed, in response to videos, viewers switch from simply staring at the most salient feature (the eyes) to attempting to engage the stimulus monkey in social interactions.”
From Oxytocin enhances gaze-following responses to videos of natural social behavior in adult male rhesus monkeys (2016) · cites this paper as Mosher et al., 2011
The decrease in gaze following frequency post-saline inhalation is likely due to habituation to the 7 successive presentations of the video sets.
“The reduction in gaze following frequency post-saline inhalation is likely due to habituation to the 7 successive presentations of the video sets. Indeed repeated presentation of the same videos in the current and in previous studies led to a gradual reduction in attention to the videos (Mosher et al., 2011).”
From Oxytocin enhances gaze-following responses to videos of natural social behavior in adult male rhesus monkeys (2016) · cites this paper as Mosher et al., 2011
Increased engagement of the viewer is manifested in the production and reciprocation of facial expressions and, more rarely, in the production of social calls (coos).
“This increased engagement of the viewer is manifested in the production and reciprocation of facial expressions and, more rarely, in the production of social calls (coos) (Mosher et al., 2011).”
From Oxytocin enhances gaze-following responses to videos of natural social behavior in adult male rhesus monkeys (2016) · cites this paper as Mosher et al., 2011
With repeated presentation of the same videos, the viewer's responses diminish as they learn that their social behaviors have no effect on the perceived social partner.
“With repeated presentation of the same videos the viewer’s responses diminish as they learn that their social behaviors have no effect on the perceived social partner.”
From Oxytocin enhances gaze-following responses to videos of natural social behavior in adult male rhesus monkeys (2016) · cites this paper as Mosher et al., 2011
Videos promote interactive looking behaviors, e.g., eye contact, gaze-following, gaze-avoidance, and the reciprocation of facial expressions, as they better approximate natural interactions.
“We have previously shown that videos promote interactive looking behaviors, e.g., eye contact, gaze-following, gaze-avoidance, and the reciprocation of facial expressions [12-17] as they better approximate natural interactions [18-20].”
From Neurons in the Monkey Amygdala Detect Eye Contact during Naturalistic Social Interactions (2014) · cites this paper as [17]
Videos engaged the viewer monkeys in socially-meaningful looking behaviors rarely observed in responses to static images.
“The videos engaged the viewer monkeys in socially-meaningful looking behaviors rarely observed in responses to static images [17].”
From Neurons in the Monkey Amygdala Detect Eye Contact during Naturalistic Social Interactions (2014) · cites this paper as [17]
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“Videos are known to engage monkeys in the reciprocation of facial expressions and in reciprocating or soliciting eye contact (Mosher et al., 2011).”
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- Authors
- Mosher, C. P., Zimmerman, P. E., & Gothard, K. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Arizona (US)
- Venue
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Published
- 2011
- Volume
- 125
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 639-652
- ISSN
- 0735-7044 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-0084
- PMC
- PMC4184141
- OpenAlex
- W2063294188
- Cited by
- 67
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 5.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Behavioral Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- National Institutes of Health (MH 070836)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Keywords
- gaze following, gaze aversion, facial expressions, eye contact, social behavior, rhesus monkeys, 5-HTTLPR, individual differences, affiliative behavior, aggression, head orientation
- MeSH terms
- Analysis of Variance, Animals, Attention, Concept Formation, Facial Expression, Fixation, Ocular, Macaca mulatta, Male, Movement, Orientation, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Photic Stimulation, Social Perception, Time Factors, Videotape Recording
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