scholarly journals Attention Towards Emotions is Modulated by Familiarity with the Expressor. A Comparison Between Bonobos and Humans

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evy van Berlo ◽  
Thomas Bionda ◽  
Mariska E. Kret

AbstractWhy can humans be intolerant of, yet also be empathetic towards strangers? This cardinal question has rarely been studied in our closest living relatives, bonobos. Yet, their striking xenophilic tendencies make them an interesting model for reconstructing the socio-emotional capacities of the last common ancestor of hominids. Within a series of dot-probe experiments, we compared bonobos’ and humans’ attention towards scenes depicting familiar (kith and kin) or unfamiliar individuals with emotional or neutral expressions. Results show that attention of bonobos is immediately captured by emotional scenes depicting unfamiliar bonobos, but not by emotional groupmates (Experiment 1) or expressions of humans, irrespective of familiarity (Experiment 2). Using a large community sample, Experiment 3 shows that human attention is mostly captured by emotional rather than neutral expressions of family and friends. On the one hand, our results show that an attentional bias towards emotions is a shared phenomenon between humans and bonobos, but on the other, that both species have their own unique evolutionarily informed bias. These findings support previously proposed adaptive explanations for xenophilia in bonobos which potentially biases them towards emotional expressions of unfamiliar conspecifics, and parochialism in humans, which makes them sensitive to the emotional expressions of close others.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ksenia Juravel ◽  
Luis Porras ◽  
Sebastian Hoehna ◽  
Davide Pisani ◽  
Gert Wörheide

An accurate phylogeny of animals is needed to clarify their evolution, ecology, and impact on shaping the biosphere. Although multi-gene alignments of up to several hundred thousand amino acids are nowadays routinely used to test hypotheses of animal relationships, some nodes towards the root of the animal phylogeny are proving hard to resolve. While the relationships of the non-bilaterian lineages, primarily sponges (Porifera) and comb jellies (Ctenophora), have received much attention since more than a decade, controversies about the phylogenetic position of the worm-like bilaterian lineage Xenacoelomorpha and the monophyly of the "Superphylum" Deuterostomia have more recently emerged. Here we independently analyse novel genome gene content and morphological datasets to assess patterns of phylogenetic congruence with previous amino-acid derived phylogenetic hypotheses. Using statistical hypothesis testing, we show that both our datasets very strongly support sponges as the sister group of all the other animals, Xenoacoelomorpha as the sister group of the other Bilateria, and largely support monophyletic Deuterostomia. Based on these results, we conclude that the last common animal ancestor may have been a simple, filter-feeding organism without a nervous system and muscles, while the last common ancestor of Bilateria might have been a small, acoelomate-like worm without a through gut.


1997 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Y. NAZROO ◽  
A. C. EDWARDS ◽  
G. W. BROWN

Background. Gender differences in clinically relevant depression are well established, appear to be greatest in childbearing years and may be the result of gender differences in social roles. Methods. A community sample of 100 couples who had recently experienced at least one threatening life event that was potentially depressogenic for both of them was studied using a semi-structured interviewer-rated interview. Onset of depression was assessed using the Present State Examination, and, rather than assuming that a gender difference in roles existed uniformly across the couples, they were characterized according to their actual role activity and commitment.Results. Women were found to have a greater risk of a depressive episode following the life event than men, and this difference was of a similar magnitude to other reports of gender differences in depression. Consistent with a role hypothesis, this greater risk was entirely restricted to episodes that followed events involving children, housing or reproductive problems. In addition, it was found that women's greater risk of a depressive episode following such events was only present among those couples where there were clear gender differences in associated roles. There was some suggestion that differences in roles on the one hand resulted in women being more likely to hold themselves responsible for such events and, on the other hand, enabled men to distance themselves from them.Conclusions. These results support the hypothesis that gender differences in rates of depression in the general population are, to a considerable extent, a consequence of role differences.


2014 ◽  
Vol 95 (9) ◽  
pp. 2060-2070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Ann Sacco ◽  
Venugopal K. Nair

Ancient endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), designated endogenous avian retrovirus (EAVs), are present in all Gallus spp. including the chicken, and resemble the modern avian sarcoma and leukosis viruses (ASLVs). The EAVs comprise several distinct retroviruses, including EAV-0, EAV-E51 and EAV-HP, as well as a putative member previously named the avian retrotransposon of chickens (ART-CH). Thus far, only the EAV-HP elements have been well characterized. Here, we determined sequences of representative EAV-0 and EAV-E51 proviruses by cloning and data mining of the 2011 assembly of the Gallus gallus genome. Although the EAV-0 elements are primarily deleted in the env region, we identified two complete EAV-0 env genes within the G. gallus genome and prototype elements sharing identity with an EAV-E51-related clone previously designated EAV-E33. Prototype EAV-0, EAV-E51 and EAV-E33 gag, pol and env gene sequences used for phylogenetic analysis of deduced proteins showed that the EAVs formed three distinct clades, with EAV-0 sharing the last common ancestor with the ASLVs. The EAV-E51 clade showed the greatest level of divergence compared with other EAVs or ASLVs, suggesting that these ERVs represented exogenous retroviruses that evolved and integrated into the germline over a long period of time. Moreover, the degree of divergence between the chicken and red jungle fowl EAV-E51 sequences suggested that they were more ancient than the other EAVs and may have diverged through mutations that accumulated post-integration. Finally, we showed that the ART-CH elements were chimeric defective ERVs comprising portions of EAV-E51 and EAV-HP rather than authentic retrotransposons.


2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-107
Author(s):  
Santiago Wolnei Ferreira Guimarães ◽  
Hilton P. Silva

AbstractGenetic studies have presented increasing indications about the complexity of the interactions between Homo sapiens, Neanderthals and Denisovans, during Pleistocene. The results indicate potential replacement or admixture of the groups of hominins that lived in the same region at different times. Recently, the time of separation among these hominins in relation to the Last Common Ancestor – LCA has been reasonably well established. Events of mixing with emphasis on the Neanderthal gene flow into H. sapiens outside Africa, Denisovans into H. sapiens ancestors in Oceania and continental Asia, Neanderthals into Denisovans, as well as the origin of some phenotypic features in specific populations such as the color of the skin, eyes, hair and predisposition to develop certain kinds of diseases have also been found. The current information supports the existence of both replacement and interbreeding events, and indicates the need to revise the two main explanatory models, the Multiregional and the Out-of-Africa hypotheses, about the origin and evolution of H. sapiens and its co-relatives. There is definitely no longer the possibility of justifying only one model over the other. This paper aims to provide a brief review and update on the debate around this issue, considering the advances brought about by the recent genetic as well as morphological traits analyses.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 147470492110328
Author(s):  
Mariska E. Kret ◽  
Evy van Berlo

Correctly recognizing and efficiently attending to emotional situations are highly valuable skills for social species such as humans and bonobos, humans' closest living relatives. In the current study, we investigated whether humans perceive a range of emotional situations differently when these involved other humans compared to bonobos. A large group of children and adults participated in an emotion perception task and rated scenes showing either bonobos or humans in situations depicting distressed or aggressive behavior, yawning, scratching, grooming, playing, sex scenes or neutral situations. A new group of people performed a dot-probe task to assess attentional biases toward these materials. The main finding is that humans perceive emotional scenes showing people similarly as emotional scenes of bonobos, a result reflecting a shared evolutionary origin of emotional expressions. Other results show that children interpreted bonobos’ bared teeth displays as a positive signal. This signal is related to the human smile, but is frequently seen in distressed situations, as was the case in the current experiment. Children may still need to learn to use contextual cues when judging an ambiguous expression as positive or negative. Further, the sex scenes were rated very positively, especially by male participants. Even though they rated these more positively than women, their attention was captured similarly, surpassing all other emotion categories. Finally, humans’ attention was captured more by human yawns than by bonobo yawns, which may be related to the highly contagious nature of yawns, especially when shown by close others. The current research adds to earlier work showing morphological, behavioral and genetic parallels between humans and bonobos by showing that their emotional expressions have a common origin too.


Parasitology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 138 (13) ◽  
pp. 1737-1749 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOANA C. SILVA ◽  
AMY EGAN ◽  
ROBERT FRIEDMAN ◽  
JAMES B. MUNRO ◽  
JANE M. CARLTON ◽  
...  

SUMMARYObjectiveThe evolutionary history of human malaria parasites (genus Plasmodium) has long been a subject of speculation and controversy. The complete genome sequences of the two most widespread human malaria parasites, P. falciparum and P. vivax, and of the monkey parasite P. knowlesi are now available, together with the draft genomes of the chimpanzee parasite P. reichenowi, three rodent parasites, P. yoelii yoelli, P. berghei and P. chabaudi chabaudi, and one avian parasite, P. gallinaceum.MethodsWe present here an analysis of 45 orthologous gene sequences across the eight species that resolves the relationships of major Plasmodium lineages, and provides the first comprehensive dating of the age of those groups.ResultsOur analyses support the hypothesis that the last common ancestor of P. falciparum and the chimpanzee parasite P. reichenowi occurred around the time of the human-chimpanzee divergence. P. falciparum infections of African apes are most likely derived from humans and not the other way around. On the other hand, P. vivax, split from the monkey parasite P. knowlesi in the much more distant past, during the time that encompasses the separation of the Great Apes and Old World Monkeys.ConclusionThe results support an ancient association between malaria parasites and their primate hosts, including humans.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Б.А. Битиев

Параллели в обрядности между осетинами и остальными иранскими народами являются перспективными и интересными, но малоисследованными вопросами этнологической науки. Одним из основных схожих ритуалов, имеющих общее происхождение у арийцев, является культ огня. Так, в статье автором поставлены цели: рассмотреть связь огня с погребальными обрядами иранских народов, провести параллели в исследуемой обрядности и показать их идентичность, а также происхождение от одной общей основы. Огонь одна из самых главных природных стихий, играющих в жизни человечества огромную роль. Огонь та природная стихия, которая всегда завораживала человека, вызывая уважение и страх. Именно поэтому в обычаях и традициях подавляющего большинства народов мира существует культ огня. Но в обрядности иранских народов огню отводится еще большее значение. Не зря в среде арийских народов зародилась религия огнепоклонников Зороастризм. Представление об огне, как высшей всепроникающей и всеочищающей стихии, слишком глубоко укоренилось в мировоззрении каждого иранца. Помимо очистительной функции огня, в обрядности иранских народов эта природная стихия представляется как предохраняющая от влияния злых сил материя. Поэтому священный огонь, с одной стороны, не должен касаться усопшего, потому что огонь символизирует жизнь, а покойник смерть. Вот почему в обрядности рассмотренных нами иранских народов пока покойник находится в доме, огонь не разводят. С другой стороны, в течение трех дней на могиле покойного разводят огонь, выполняющий вышеуказанные функции.Особенно данный обряд распространен у курдов-езидов и осетин, сумевших сохранить свои традиции в большей степени. Таким образом, несмотря на множество дифференцирующих факторов (влияние мировых религий, значительные расстояния между народами), рассмотренные в работе параллели служат ярким примером родства иранских народов и их происхождения от общего предка. Parallels in rites between the Ossetians and other Iranian peoples are promising and interesting, but little studied issues of ethnological science. One of the main rituals that have a common origin among the Aryans is the cult of fire. Thus, in the article, the author sets goals: to consider the connection of fire with the funeral rites of the Iranian peoples, to draw parallels in the studied rites and to show their identity, as well as their origin from one common basis. Fire is one of the most important natural elements that plays a huge role in the life of mankind. Fire is the natural element that has always fascinated a person, causing respect and fear. Consecutively, there is the cult of fire in the customs and traditions of the vast majority of peoples of the world. But, in the rites of the Iranian peoples, fire is given even more importance. It is not for nothing that Zoroastrianism, the religion of fire, was born among the fire worshipping Aryan peoples. The idea of fire as the highest all-pervading and all-purifying element is too deeply rooted in the worldview of every Iranian. In addition to the purifying function of the fire, in the rites of the Iranian peoples, this natural element is represented as a matter that protects against the influence of evil forces. Therefore, the sacred fire, on the one hand should, not touch the deceased, because the fire symbolizes life, and the deceased stands for death. That is why in the rites of the Iranian peoples that we have considered, as long as the body of a dead person in the house the fire is never lit. On the other hand, a fire is lit on the grave of the deceased for three days, which performs the above functions, especially for Yazidi Kurds and Ossetians, who managed to preserve their traditions to a greater extent. Thus, despite many differentiating factors due to the influence of world religions, significant distances between peoples, the parallels considered in this paper serve as a vivid example of the kinship of the Iranian peoples and their origin from a common ancestor.


2020 ◽  
pp. 101-115
Author(s):  
Pragya Paneru

This article reviews the Tantric influence in the traditional Mithila paintings and argues how Tantra’s emphasis on femininity can challenge the traditional patriarchal notion toward women in general. In doing so, firstly, the article examines the studies in Tantra and its views toward women in general. Secondly, it analyzes the studies in Mithila paintings and their connection with Tantra and the actual women context in the Maithil community. Lastly, it reviews some of the examples of Mithila paintings to study the presence of tantric symbols, as claimed by the studies in Mithila paintings, followed by a conclusion. The findings suggest that being a highly patriarchal culture, with limited authority to women even in their personal life decisions, Mithila culture yet contains seeds of resistance within itself. On the one hand, Maithil women lack the liberty of sexual expressions, decision makings, and involvement in outdoor activities as the veil in their head symbolically separates them from the rest of the society, except the traditional feminine chores. On the other hand, traditional Mithila paintings mocks the patriarchy through the feminine images and symbols as eminent cosmic power, a source of creation, and destruction. The Tantric images and signs in Mithila paintings shout out the power of femininity, challenging patriarchal beliefs of men as a center and women as a margin. This article stresses that Tantric dualism and its equal emphasis on femininity reflected in Mithila paintings can be used as a powerful religious, cultural, and artistic tool to empower women and subvert the general binary of men and women. Mithila paintings that have become a source of economic empowerment, emotional expressions, and means of awareness of women in the present-day, can also be used to harmonize the male-female tensions and as an effective religious, cultural, and artistic device to tear-off shackles of patriarchy.


2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 424-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyne Arquembourg

The article takes theoretical inspiration from Peirce’s views on emotion categorization and proposes to apply these ideas to the analysis of an historical episode. The latter is the resignation of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and more specifically the emotions that Egyptians expressed in Tahrir Square following Mubarak’s resignation. The article compares the dynamics of these emotional expressions as narrated by the media, on the one hand, and as they can be reconstructed from the direct witnessing of raw video materials, on the other.


1975 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 395-407
Author(s):  
S. Henriksen

The first question to be answered, in seeking coordinate systems for geodynamics, is: what is geodynamics? The answer is, of course, that geodynamics is that part of geophysics which is concerned with movements of the Earth, as opposed to geostatics which is the physics of the stationary Earth. But as far as we know, there is no stationary Earth – epur sic monere. So geodynamics is actually coextensive with geophysics, and coordinate systems suitable for the one should be suitable for the other. At the present time, there are not many coordinate systems, if any, that can be identified with a static Earth. Certainly the only coordinate of aeronomic (atmospheric) interest is the height, and this is usually either as geodynamic height or as pressure. In oceanology, the most important coordinate is depth, and this, like heights in the atmosphere, is expressed as metric depth from mean sea level, as geodynamic depth, or as pressure. Only for the earth do we find “static” systems in use, ana even here there is real question as to whether the systems are dynamic or static. So it would seem that our answer to the question, of what kind, of coordinate systems are we seeking, must be that we are looking for the same systems as are used in geophysics, and these systems are dynamic in nature already – that is, their definition involvestime.


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