Personality and cognitive performance in western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla)

• DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/ytc9f_v1
• Publication Date: 2025-02-04T16:30:01Z
• Authors: Jose Gil-Dolz; Maria Padrell; Yulán Úbeda; Lucía Gandarillas...; Miquel Llorente
• Keywords: Gorilla

Personality has been related to cognitive interest and performance in primates, including humans, yet this relationship remains unexplored the genus Gorilla. In our study, we investigated association between personality, interest, a enrichment task among 17 zoo-housed western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) from two zoos. We conducted personality assessments using Gorilla Behavior Index questionnaire, which comprised 25 adjectives. Exploratory factor analysis Robust Unweighted Least Squares revealed six statistically significant factors with acceptable standards of interrater reliability validity, accounting for 75% variance. The experimental involved retrieving food tube presented social context. Each session consisted 30-minute recording gorilla performing task, total three sessions per individual. included success variables analysis. used Generalized Linear Mixed Models analyse each predictor variable. found positive associations Fearfulness Extraversion but did not find link success. Additionally, observed that repeated exposure led decreased improved performance. Furthermore, females showed greater efficiency extraction over time compared males. Thus, findings suggest sex play an important role explaining gorillas' solving tasks.