In the 84th annual conference of Japanese Society of Animal Psychology, Dr. Iki won an excellent oral presentation award. The title of his talk is "Does self-scratching predict pessimistic cognitive biases in Japanese macaques? Revisiting
the James-Lange theory". Here is the abstract of his talk.
"This study aimed to explore the James-Lange theory in non-human animals—a classic hypothesis suggesting that peripheral/somatic affective responses can instigate and specify central/cognitive affective changes. While this theory has been primarily explored in humans, extending this research to non-human animals is crucial for understanding the evolutionary basis of human affective systems. Using the judgment bias test, this research specifically examined the relationship between peripheral somatomotor responses associated with
negative affect (i.e., self-scratching) and the emergence of pessimistic cognitive modes in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). Our results support the hypothesis that somatomotor responses precede and influence changes in cognitive modes, demonstrating that prior instances of self-scratching predict subsequent pessimistic judgments (i.e., heightened expectations of unfavorable outcomes), whereas prior pessimistic judgments do not predict subsequent self-scratching. Our findings provide comparative insights into the biological underpinnings of affect, highlighting that peripheral responses unidirectionally predict subsequent cognitive judgments in non-human primates. These results have broader implications for understanding evolutionary continuity in affective response systems across species."
Congratulations, Sakumi!
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