Monkeying Around? All 4 Types of Apes Have a Sense of Humor– Researchers Categorize Their Clowning in Video

Apes have a sense of humor similar to humans, suggests a new study that showed four species of great apes each playfully teasing each other.

The team of cognitive biologists and primatologists found that, similar to joking behavior in humans, ape teasing is provocative, persistent, and includes elements of surprise and play.

Because all four great ape species used playful teasing—orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas—the research team believes it likely that the prerequisites for humor evolved in the human lineage millions of years ago.

The researchers said that joking is an important part of human interaction that draws on social intelligence, an ability to anticipate future actions, and an ability to recognize and appreciate the violation of others’ expectations.

Teasing has much in common with joking, and playful teasing may be seen as a “cognitive precursor” to joking. (Watch the sweet video at the bottom…)

The first time playful teasing in humans emerge is as early as eight months of age—even before babies say their first words. Infants tease their parents by playfully offering and withdrawing objects, violating social rules—known as provocative non-compliance—and disrupting others’ activities.

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