Presenter(s): Nichole Biggs—Anthropology
Faculty Mentor(s): Kylen Gartland, Frances White
Session: Prerecorded Poster Presentation
It has been recently recognized that non-human primates, just like humans, have different personalities . These personality differences can be measured using a variation of Factor-Five theory commonly used in human personality . The Factor-Five personality model is used to sort individuals into five domains that are made of certain behaviors . The five categories predominantly used in non-human primates include sociability, confidence/aggression, independence, neuroticism, and dominance . Personality studies have been largely biased towards female non-human primates with a particular emphasis on the Macaca genus . This study on male personality was conducted on a group of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) at the Oregon National Primate Research Center . We collected a total of 475 hours of personality-related behavioral data across two summer study periods in 2018 and 2019 . We conducted 15-minute focal follows with one-minute instantaneous scans on 17 adult males . Fitness, as measured by the number of offspring each male had, was calculated using available genetic paternity records . We ran a PCA (Principle Component Analysis), which cross-references behaviors and then clusters the individuals with similar behaviors together, identified males with similar personality types . There were two clear personality clusters and a few male outliers . Personality types did not differ in average reproductive fitness (F=0 .53, df=2, p=0 .6009) . These results suggest that while males do have demonstrable variation in personality types, these personality types to do not result in different levels of reproductive success . Thus, if personality is
an important component of reproductive strategy, it might be likely that males are achieving mating opportunities differently dependent on their personality type .