1. As zoo-based cognitive research programs become more common, @LydiaMHopper, @chimpfreq, and I wanted to test if animals’ task accuracy is influenced by visitors watching them, suggestive of attentional bias effects. #AnimBehav2021

2. At @lincolnparkzoo, macaques work on touchscreens in view of visitors. We tested 4 macaques on a matching task for 6 months & counted the number of visitors watching. We compared accuracy & response latency over time & with crowd size. #AnimBehav2021

3. We predicted that as crowd size increased, the macaques’ accuracy rate would decrease but their response latencies would increase, indicating attention bias effects. #AnimBehav2021

4. In the 1st half of the study, the macaques’ accuracy did not differ by crowd size. Accuracy improved significantly in the 2nd period as the macaques learned the task, but they were significantly more accurate when small crowds were present. #AnimBehav2021

5. We found an effect of study period on the macaques’ response latencies: they were significantly faster in the 2nd period after learning the task. Latencies were also mediated by crowd size, but with no evidence of a response-slowing effect. #AnimBehav2021

6. Based on preliminary findings ( https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-020-01445-5), we find no evidence of inhibited participation or learning around visitors. Follow-up work with more monkeys will explore other visitor-related variables, like sound. #AnimBehav2021