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Primates’ social cognitive bonding mechanisms are more complex than we thought, yet not quite human–lessons from great ape triadic social bonding

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2025

Wouter Wolf Open the ORCID record for Wouter Wolf [Opens in a new window]
Wouter Wolf*
Affiliation:
Utrecht University , Utrecht, The Netherlands w.wolf@uu.nl
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

The current manuscript rightly points out that non-human primates evolved complex social cognitive skills to maintain weaker social ties. However, these capacities are likely more expansive than currently proposed: research shows that apes behave more socially to those with whom they experience similar things, suggesting that they possess some precursor of humans’ capacity to bond through shared experiences.

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Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 48 , 2025 , e188
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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