Teens are risk-takers and think like young primates, study finds
Young chimpanzees are risk-takers like human teenagers, a study finds.
But offered the choice of taking one treat right away or waiting a minute for three snacks, most chimps were happy to pause.
Teens proved more impulsive and tended to immediately grab the first snack.
In another test, 40 chimps housed at a Republic of Congo sanctuary chose between two containers of food. One always contained peanuts, which they like. The other had either cucumber, which they hate, or banana, their favourite food.
Young primates took the risky option more often than adults and threw more tantrums when it backfired.
When given the choice of gambling on an unknown snack or taking a safe option, most adolescent humans and primates rolled the dice, tests showed.
‘They, in some sense, face the same psychological tempest that human teens do,’ said Dr Alexandra Rosati, of Michigan University. The study gets at the age-old nature or nurture question about why teens take more risks, she added.
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