Cracking the Code: Decoding Primate Language
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Phys.org
A study conducted by the University of Geneva (UNIGE) reveals that the human brain is capable of identifying the vocalizations of certain primate species, such as chimpanzees and macaques, if they are close to us and if the frequencies used are also close to our own. The study found that both phylogenetic proximity and acoustic proximity play a role in our ability to differentiate between primate vocalizations. The frontal and orbitofrontal regions of the brain are activated when processing these sounds, but the activation is reduced when confronted with bonobo vocalizations due to their high-pitched and distinct frequencies. Further research will focus on identifying the emotional content of primate vocalizations.