The effect of movement of stimulus objects upon avoidance reactions in chimpanzees.

1 January 1938

journal article
research article
Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Comparative Psychology

Vol. 25 (3) , 507-528
https://doi.org/10.1037/h0063562

Abstract

Avoidance reactions to animate and inanimate stimuli were studied in 5 adult and 7 young chimpanzees. Quantitative measures were obtained by timing the reactions and by rating the behavior on an avoidance scale. The avoidance was found to appear and disappear quickly in both groups. The young adapted more readily to stimuli which appeared to them as harmless than did the adults. Inanimate objects seemed to have more stimulating value for the adults than for the young.