Study Reveals Chimpanzees and Children Share Intrinsic Social Curiosity

A recent study conducted by an international team of researchers has unveiled striking similarities in social curiosity between chimpanzees and young children. Published in the journal *Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences* on June 23, 2025, the research indicates that both species display a profound interest in observing the interactions of others, even when doing so incurs a personal cost. The lead author, Dr. Laura Simone Lewis, a researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara, emphasized the evolutionary significance of this behavior, suggesting that social curiosity may have deep roots in our common ancestry with chimpanzees.

The study involved three experiments carried out at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda and various locations in California, including the Oakland Zoo and the Lawrence Hall of Science. Using specially designed 'curiosity boxes', researchers offered both chimpanzees and children aged four to six the choice between watching videos of social interactions—such as grooming and playing—or videos featuring solitary individuals. The results were compelling: both chimpanzees and children consistently preferred the social interactions over solitary content.

In a second experiment, participants faced a choice between a reward—jackfruit seeds for chimpanzees and marbles for children—and the opportunity to view a social video. Notably, younger children and male chimpanzees often opted for the social video, demonstrating a willingness to forgo tangible rewards in favor of social information. The final experiment explored preferences for positive versus negative social interactions, revealing that while chimpanzees showed no distinct preference, human children’s interests varied with age and gender. Boys tended to gravitate towards negative interactions, while girls preferred positive ones.

Dr. Esther Herrmann, co-author of the study and a researcher at the University of Portsmouth's Center for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, remarked, "This study illustrates that the curiosity about social behavior is not only innate but crucial for survival in complex social environments. It highlights how early these tendencies develop in humans and their closest relatives."

This groundbreaking research is among the first to directly compare social curiosity in chimpanzees and children using identical methodologies. The implications of these findings extend beyond mere observation; they suggest that understanding social interactions is vital not only for acquiring knowledge but also for navigating social structures, forming relationships, and making informed decisions.

The researchers advocate for further studies to delve into the development of social curiosity across different cultures and age groups, as well as in other great apes like bonobos and orangutans. Such investigations could provide deeper insights into how these behaviors evolved and why they manifest differently across genders and species.

This study provides a unique lens through which to examine the origins of human social behavior, reinforcing the notion that our desire to understand the lives of others is a fundamental aspect of both our nature and our evolutionary heritage.