Breaking Down the Conversational Barrier: Chimpanzees Found to Mimic Human Turn-Taking Patterns

When people are having a conversation, they rapidly take turns speaking and sometimes even interrupt. But did you know that chimpanzees also communicate back and forth using gestures following the same rapid-fire pattern?

The Largest Ever Dataset of Chimpanzee Conversations

Researchers have collected the largest ever dataset of chimpanzee "conversations" and found that they mimic human conversational turn-taking patterns. The findings are reported in the journal Current Biology.

"While human languages are incredibly diverse, a hallmark we all share is that our conversations are structured with fast-paced turns of just 200 milliseconds on average," said Catherine Hobaiter at the University of St Andrews, UK.

A Similar Timing to Human Conversation

The researchers collected data on chimpanzee "conversations" across five wild communities in East Africa. Altogether, they collected data on more than 8,500 gestures for 252 individuals. They measured the timing of turn-taking and conversational patterns.

They found that 14% of communicative interactions included an exchange of gestures between two interacting individuals. Most of the exchanges included a two-part exchange, but some included up to seven parts.

Overall, the data reveal a similar timing to human conversation, with short pauses between a gesture and a gestural response at about 120 milliseconds. Behavioral responses to gestures were slower.

Cultural Variations in Chimpanzee Conversations

Interestingly, the researchers found a little variation among different chimp communities, which matches what we see in people where there are slight cultural variations in conversation pace.

"Fascinatingly, they seem to share both our universal timing, and subtle cultural differences," said Hobaiter.

Shared Underlying Rules in Communication

This correspondence between human and chimpanzee face-to-face communication points to shared underlying rules in communication. The researchers say that these structures could trace back to shared ancestral mechanisms.

"It shows that other social species don't need language to engage in close-range communicative exchanges with quick response time," said Gal Badihi, the study's first author.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the researchers find in their study?

The researchers found that chimpanzees communicate back and forth using gestures following the same rapid-fire pattern as humans, with short pauses between a gesture and a gestural response at about 120 milliseconds.

What does this study suggest about human communication?

This study suggests that human communication may not be as unique as one might think, and that other social species may share similar evolutionary history or trajectories to the communication systems of humans.

What's next for the researchers?

The researchers want to explore why chimpanzees have these conversations to begin with, and think chimpanzees often rely on gestures to ask something of one another.

Conclusion

This groundbreaking study sheds light on the fascinating world of chimpanzee communication, and highlights the similarities between human and chimpanzee conversational patterns. The findings suggest that human communication may not be as unique as one might think, and that other social species may share similar evolutionary history or trajectories to the communication systems of humans.