Orangutans prefer food tied to laughter sounds — SkimNews
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- Orangutans preferred food covered by material associated with laughter sounds, with four out of six showing a clear choice for that option in controlled trials
- Erica Cartmill led a study at Indiana University exploring how emotion affects learning in orangutans, building on research showing emotion shapes human cognition
- Six orangutans at two zoological institutions were trained to search bowls for treats, then tested on their preferences after hearing either laughter or environmental sounds
- Laughter recordings of orangutans were paired with specific food-covering materials, creating an emotional association that influenced the apes’ later bowl selections
- Dr Adriano Lameira described the findings as evidence that orangutans socially learn food preferences by responding to others’ positive emotional cues
- Cartmill suggested the emotional state during learning affects how much value animals assign to rewards, which could explain subject preferences in human students
Why it matters: The study shows emotional context shapes learning and choice in orangutans, meaning educators and animal caretakers may need to consider mood during training. If students learn math while anxious, they may undervalue it later—just as orangutans favored rewards tied to positive sounds.
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