Long-Tailed Macaques Prefer Conflict, Familiar Faces in Videos

A recent study conducted by researchers at Utrecht University and The Ohio State University reveals that long-tailed macaques show a strong preference for watching videos featuring conflict and familiar individuals, mirroring human interests in similar content. The macaques paid the most attention to videos depicting aggression among group members, followed by running, while grooming and sitting attracted less interest. This behavior is thought to be evolutionarily adaptive, as paying attention to conflict may increase survival by helping animals navigate social relationships and recognize potential threats. The study also found that lower-ranking and less aggressive macaques focused more on videos of their own group compared to higher-ranking or more stressed individuals. These findings highlight striking similarities between humans and macaques in social cognition and media preferences, suggesting a shared evolutionary basis for attention to social and aggressive stimuli. The research was published in the journal Animal Cognition and involved 28 macaques at a Dutch primate research center.