Our closest relatives, the apes, are also influenced by marketing. We are not the only ones. For example, it has been found that most people find a hamburger tastier when it is previously described as “75% lean” than if it is presented as “only 25% fat”, although the two things mean the same thing. Likewise, we are also more likely to recommend a medical treatment that “works in 50% of cases” to another that “has 50% failures”, although, again, both phrases have the same meaning.
Well, a recent study by Duke University (North Carolina) has found that among chimpanzees and bonobos there is also a more favorable perception towards a positive or optimistic presentation than towards a negative one. In a series of experiments carried out at the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Sanctuary in the Republic of the Congo and the Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, researchers gave 23 chimpanzees and 17 bonobos to choose from. two appetizers: a handful of walnuts and a serving of fruit. This second option was presented, during a series of times, in the form of an “offer”, since in half the occasions they were given an additional piece by surprise as a prize. In another series, fruit was the “bad” option, because although a priori they were given two pieces, half of the time they were taken away one.
It turned out that the monkeys were more likely to opt for the option of fruit over nuts when, despite initially offering them less, they later received more; on the contrary, it seemed worse to them when they first gave them more and then took them away, although the end result was the same. This preference for the premium option over the penalty option was more pronounced among males. The study is part of a larger investigation on psychological factors and their influence on behavior and decision-making.
“When it comes to choosing, people go for offers that emphasize positive qualities (glass half full) over negative qualities (half empty), even though they are basically the same,” according to Christopher Krupenye, Duke anthropologist and co-author. from the studio with Brian Hare and Alexandra Rosati from Yale. ” Historically, scientists thought these trends were a product of human culture , the way we socialize, and our experience in economic markets. But the fact that our closest relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos, show the same leanings suggests that these are deeply ingrained in our biology. That implies that they are difficult to get rid of, but it can help us to create environments that help us make better decisions, “says Krupenye.
