Nosy by Nature: Chimpanzees and Children Share a Strong Curiosity About the Lives of Others

Chimps share with children sense of curiosity for social interactions – study

Researchers found that both chimpanzees and young children prefer to watch videos of social interactions than videos of a single individual.

Nosy by nature: Chimpanzees and children share a strong curiosity about the lives of others

Ever find yourself people-watching in a cafe, or tuning into reality TV just to see who's arguing with who? You're not alone—and it turns out, you might have more in common with chimpanzees than you think.

Chimpanzees and Children Share a Curiosity for Social Drama

A new study shows that both chimpanzees and young children are drawn to watching social interactions—sometimes even at a cost. When given a choice between viewing videos of social behavior or solo individuals, both species consistently chose the social scenes.

Nosey by nature: chimpanzees and children share a strong curiosity about the lives of others

Nosey by nature: chimpanzees and children share a strong curiosity about the lives of others HarrisonL Mon, 23/06/2025 - 11:02 From playgrounds to primate sanctuaries, a new study suggests both chimpanzees and humans share a deep curiosity about the social world around them 23 June 2025 9 minutes Children and chimpanzees prefer watching social interactions over individuals alone Some gave up treats just to watch social videos Our curiosity ab…

Nosey by Nature: Chimpanzees and Children Share a Strong Curiosity About the Lives of Others

Ever find yourself people-watching in a cafe, or tuning into reality TV just to see who’s arguing with who? You’re not alone - and it turns out, you might have more in common with chimpanzees than you think.