Speaking of Psychology Inside the social minds -- and amazing memories -- of chimps and bonobos, with Laura Simone Lewis, PhD
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Jan 21, 2026 Join Laura Simone Lewis, an assistant professor at UC Santa Barbara, as she uncovers the incredible long-term social memories of chimpanzees and bonobos. She shares a fascinating story about a bonobo who recognized family after 26 years apart. The conversation explores how these apes navigate social connections, highlighting their preferences for friends over rivals. Lewis also touches on implications for animal welfare and what their cognitive abilities reveal about human evolution. Get ready for a deep dive into the minds of our closest relatives!
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Great Apes Show Long-Term Social Memory
- Chimpanzees and bonobos recognize former groupmates from photos even after many years apart.
- Social relationships shape this memory: they look longer at previous friends than strangers or past adversaries.
Louise The Bonobo's 27-Year Recall
- A bonobo named Louise possibly recognized her sister and nephew after nearly 27 years apart.
- Laura Simone Lewis observed Louise staring much longer at photos of those relatives during the test.
Apes Attend To Faces Much Like Humans
- Eye-tracking shows great apes inspect faces similarly to humans, focusing on eyes and mouth regions.
- Bonobos attend more to eyes while chimpanzees focus more on mouths, indicating species differences in social attention.