New research has found that monkeys seem inclined towards sharing equally with their fellows. Researchers found that Capuchin monkeys will consistently share food with others if given the option.    These U.S. researchers at the Yerkes Research Center at Emory University in Atlanta reported last Monday that tests they completed on Capuchin monkeys show they are capable of empathy.  Well duh!  As if anyone who has owned a pet would think that animals are incapable of empathy.   Frans de Waal, director or the Living Links Center at Yerkes stated, ‘They seem to care for the welfare of those they know… Subjects systematically favoured the prosocial option provided their partner was a) familiar, b) visible, and c) receiving rewards of equal value… We believe prosocial behaviour is empathy based. Empathy increases in both humans and animals with social closeness, and in our study, closer partners made more prosocial choices."   The team tested 8 female brown Capuchin Monkeys in pairs, with one monkey from each pair making a selection that would either benefits solely themselves or benefit themselves and the other monkey.  The researchers provided two tokens to the monkey making the selection.  One token would reward the monkey with a treat, while the other token would reward both monkeys with a treat.  In both cases the choosing monkey got the same amount of food.  However, the researchers found that the monkey consistently chose the token which would give food to both her and her companion.   The researchers will next perform tests to see whether or not these monkeys share food because they are rewarded by companionship while eating or if they enjoy seeing another monkey also enjoying food.    Concerning this the researchers wrote, ‘Capuchin monkeys spontaneously share food in both nature and captivity, and commonly sit next to each other while eating.’   Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080826/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_monkeys_giving;_ylt=An32GFODF4TrNp0nen4pHi8Z.3QA