A recent study in the journal Current Biology led by scientists at Kyoto University's Wildlife Research Center found that if one individual chimp starts to urinate, others that see it will feel compelled to do so. While this may seem odd to humans, who are far more inclined to seek privacy rather than intimacy when urinating, the chimps’ behavior in fact directly relates to our own. This behavior may help with territorial markings, but also group bonding or even preparing to travel — essentially the ape version of going pee before heading on a road trip.
“Humans and non-human animals share many social phenomena linked to group living — we’re all influenced by the presence of others, even in everyday activities,” lead author Ena Onishi, a Kyoto University primate researcher, told Salon. “For instance, behaviors like yawning, walking, rhythmic tapping, and even changes in pupil size are contagious in both humans and chimpanzees. Our study fits into this framework by showing that urination, a seemingly simple physiological act, can also spread socially within a group.”
