Effects of age and experience on play and exploration of young chimpanzees.

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Abstract
The reactions of eight young chimpanzees to non-moving objects were studied in a series of 5-min. sessions, with the objects placed in the home cages of the animals. A record was taken of whether an animal merely looked at the objects without touching them (orientation) or touched the objects (manipulation). The older chimpanzees showed greater initial contact with the novel objects and reached a criterion of adaptation or familiarity much faster than the younger subjects. The younger animals initially reacted to the objects solely by a head and eye orientation, and gradually came to touch them only after repeated exposure. Once the younger animals were vigorously contacting a given set of objects, introduction of a new set of objects again elicited timidity. The relative novelty of an object thus appears to determine whether the chimpanzee will vigorously play with and explore it, or only cautiously observe it.

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