A call for conformity

Gesture studies in human and non-human primates

Nicole M. Scott | Center for Cognitive Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA

Simone Pika | Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Humboldt Research Group “Comparative Gestural Signalling”, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany

Many advances in the study of gesture have been accomplished; however idiosyncratic methodologies and definitions have been applied for different subject pools in human and non-human animals. Since gesture use in our phylogeny dates back at least to other primates, a useful framework for furthering this study should accommodate all gesture forms regardless of species membership. Such a framework would allow for in depth comparisons also if gesture is a product of convergent evolution. The current chapter (i) provides an overview of the state of the art of gesture studies in humans and other primates, (ii) adjusts McNeill’s Gesture Continuum to accommodate all gesture types by implementing Tinbergen’s four “why’s” and (iii) creates a comprehensive definition of gesture that satisfies studies of any animal species.

Published online: 12 June 2012
https://doi.org/10.1075/gs.6.09sco

Cited by

Cited by other publications

Bard, Kim A., Sophie Dunbar, Vanessa Maguire-Herring, Yvette Veira, Kathryn G. Hayes & Kelly McDonald

2014. Gestures and social-emotional communicative development in chimpanzee infants. American Journal of Primatology 76:1 ► pp. 14 ff.

Bourjade, Marie, Hélène Cochet, Sandra Molesti & Michèle Guidetti

2020. Is Conceptual Diversity an Advantage for Scientific Inquiry? A Case Study on the Concept of ‘Gesture’ in Comparative Psychology. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science

Gupta, Shreejata & Anindya Sinha

2019. Gestural communication of wild bonnet macaques in the Bandipur National Park, Southern India. Behavioural Processes 168 ► pp. 103956 ff.

Kersken, Verena, Juan-Carlos Gómez, Ulf Liszkowski, Adrian Soldati & Catherine Hobaiter

2019. A gestural repertoire of 1- to 2-year-old human children: in search of the ape gestures. Animal Cognition 22:4 ► pp. 577 ff.

Pika, Simone

2016. Response to: Commentary: The use of referential gestures in ravens (Corvus corax) in the wild. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 4

Prieur, Jacques, Stéphanie Barbu, Catherine Blois-Heulin & Simone Pika

2017. Captive gorillas’ manual laterality: The impact of gestures, manipulators and interaction specificity. Brain and Language 175 ► pp. 130 ff.

Prieur, Jacques, Alban Lemasson, Stéphanie Barbu & Catherine Blois-Heulin

2018. Challenges Facing the Study of the Evolutionary Origins of Human Right-Handedness and Language. International Journal of Primatology 39:2 ► pp. 183 ff.

Prieur, Jacques, Simone Pika, Stéphanie Barbu & Catherine Blois-Heulin

2018. Do Mechanical Effectiveness and Recipient Species Influence Intentional Signal Laterality in Captive Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)?. International Journal of Primatology 39:4 ► pp. 602 ff.

Ross, Kirsty M., Kim A. Bard & Tetsuro Matsuzawa

2014. Playful expressions of one-year-old chimpanzee infants in social and solitary play contexts. Frontiers in Psychology 5

SCOTT, NICOLE M.

2013. Gesture Use by Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Differences Between Sexes in Inter- and Intra-Sexual Interactions. American Journal of Primatology 75:6 ► pp. 555 ff.

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