AUTOMATED RECORDING OF INDIVIDUAL-PERFORMANCE AND HAND PREFERENCE DURING JOYSTICK-TASK ACQUISITION IN GROUP-LIVING BONNET MACAQUES (MACACA-RADIATA)

A microchip that provided a unique identification number was injected into each forearm of all 8 members of a bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata ) social group. The group was then given computer-controlled joystick tasks of increasing difficulty. The identification number of the arm u sed on each trial was input into the computer and used to determine in dividual performance and hand preference in more than 23,000 trials. T hree subjects reversed hand preference as task difficulty was increase d over time. All subjects exhibited nearly exclusive use of a single h and on the most difficult task; 6 used the right hand, and 2 used the left. Daily patterns of joystick activity for the group members differ ed somewhat from that of our individually housed monkeys.