Chimps, Like Humans, are Fast Talkers — With Their Hands

Chimpanzee gestures mirror human conversation, as revealed by a groundbreaking study of 252 chimps.

By Paul Smaglik
Jul 22, 2024 6:30 PMJul 22, 2024 6:32 PM
Group of chimpanzees including mothers, juveniles, subadults, and infants grooming and playing
Group of chimpanzees including mothers, juveniles, subadults, and infants grooming and playing (Credit: Catherine Hobaiter)

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Parents often tell children not to talk back or interrupt. But both actions can be characteristics of human communication.

The same is true for chimps, even though these primates communicate primarily through gestures instead of spoken words. In the largest-ever data set collected on chimpanzee communication, researchers showed that chimps use a rapid-fire, back-and-forth communication style similar to humans — complete with interruptions, according to a study in Current Biology.

Chimpanzee Hand Gestures

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