Conformity

Dindo M, Whiten A, de Waal FBM (2009) In-Group Conformity Sustains Different Foraging
Traditions in Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella). PLoS ONE 4(11)
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0007858

In this study an alpha male chimp is given a learned task to complete, such as opening a foraging device.. After opening the device the alpha male returned to his group. The researchers let some time go by, then gave each of the members in the group a foraging device. There was two groups with an alpha male in each. About 90% of the other group members mastered the opening of the device. This happened because the alpha male went back to the group playing with his device so the rest of the group wanted to do the same. I found this article very interesting because it shows conformity in animals. Even though chimps are the closest thing to humans they still have their own ways of becoming part of the group.
This study would be very interesting to do over with a group of chimps and a group of humans. We would then be able to distinguish the likes and differences between human and animal conformity. Would humans follow another human because they are looked at as superior or does this only happen with animals?