This Friday, February 8th, Miranda Harrison presents The Sexually Differentiated Toy Preferences of Long-Tailed Macaques 

Abstract: A field study on the toy preferences of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis; N=30) was conducted on the remote island of Tinjil, Indonesia. We hypothesized that toy category preferences are socialized while toy feature preferences are inborn. To test this hypothesis, we presented monkeys with four trucks and four dolls in an alternating pattern. A toy within each category featured a face and wheels, a face and no wheels, no face and no wheels, or wheels and no face. Sixteen 80-minute trials were conducted. Behaviors were coded using scan sampling at one-minute intervals. Age groups and sexes of monkeys within one meter of or in contact with each toy were recorded. Juveniles were more inclined than adults to be in proximity of and interact with stimuli. Sex differences in category preferences were not found. Females were more likely than males to interact with toys with faces, supporting a feature-based model.

Miranda Harrison is a Division III student studying developmental psychobiology with an emphasis on comparative research. Her research focuses on the roles that prenatal and perinatal androgrens and early socialization play in the development of sexually differentiated behaviors and preferences. This work has led her around the world; from studying long-tailed macaques in the jungles of Tinjil, a remote island in Indonesia, to working with transgenic mice (and their brains) in the Breedlove & Jordan lab at Michigan State University.

Fantastic Friday is a weekly seminar where either faculty, student(s), a class, or a visiting lecturer gives a presentation/talk about their research or other academic project. As the name implies, this takes place Fridays, from 12-1pm, in Cole Science Rm 333. Lunch is always provided, with vegetarian, vegan, and GF options will be available.

Fantastic Friday is a weekly seminar where either faculty, student(s), a class, or a visiting lecturer gives a presentation/talk about their research or other academic project. As the name implies, this takes place Fridays, from 12-1pm, in Cole Science Rm 333. Lunch is always provided, with vegetarian, vegan, and GF options will be available.

Fantastic Friday is a weekly seminar where either faculty, student(s), a class, or a visiting lecturer gives a presentation/talk about their research or other academic project. As the name implies, this takes place Fridays, from 12-1pm, in Cole Science Rm 333. Lunch is always provided; vegetarian, vegan, and GF options will be available.
 is a weekly seminar where either faculty, student(s), a class, or a visiting lecturer gives a presentation/talk about their research or other academic project. As the name implies, this takes place Fridays, from 12-1pm, in Cole Science Rm 333. Lunch is always provided; vegetarian, vegan, and GF options will be available.