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Does measuring social attention lead to changes in behavior? A preliminary investigation into the implications of attention bias trials on behavior in Rhesus Macaques

Howarth, Emmeline
; 
Witham, Claire
; 
Bethell, Emily
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Affiliation
Liverpool John Moores University; University of Chester; Centre for Macaques, Harwell Institute, Medical Research Council
EPub Date
Publication Date
2025-04-01
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Natural Sciences
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Abstract
A welfare assessment tool in development must satisfy several criteria before it is considered ready for general use. Some tools that meet many of these criteria have been criticized for their negative effect on welfare. We conducted a preliminary assessment of the impact of attention bias (AB) trials using threat-neutral conspecific face pairs followed by presumed neutral-positive filler stimuli on the behavior of 21 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta; 15 female). Behavioral observations were conducted following AB trials and repeated two weeks later when no AB trials had occurred (no trial: NT). The association between observation period and behavior was assessed using linear mixed-effects models in R. Trials did not impact any observed behavior except for fear, which was displayed by five monkeys over six trials (four NT). For this sample, there was a significant reduction in fear behavior following AB trials. We, therefore, found no evidence suggesting that AB trials negatively affect behaviour. AB protocols may be suitable for continued development for primate welfare assessment and we encourage researchers to include assessing test impact on welfare in their AB protocols.
Citation
Howarth, E., Witham, C., & Bethell, E. (2025). Does measuring social attention lead to changes in behavior? A preliminary investigation into the implications of attention bias trials on behavior in Rhesus Macaques. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 28(3), 540-553. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2025.2486351
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Journal
Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
Research Unit
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10034/629336
DOI
10.1080/10888705.2025.2486351
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PubMed Central ID
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Article
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Description
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Series/Report no.
ISSN
1088-8705
EISSN
1532-7604
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Sponsors
ERI Howarth was supported by an LJMU PhD studentship. CL Witham and the Centre for Macaques are funded by the Medical Research Council.
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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10888705.2025.2486351?src=