Monkeys Prefer Watching Videos Of Their Friends Over Strangers, Study Reveals

UTRECHT, Netherlands — Long-tailed macaques living in captivity consistently choose to watch videos of their own group members rather than complete strangers, according to new research. The discovery shows these intelligent primates place greater value on social intelligence about their own communities than satisfying curiosity about unfamiliar faces.

When Monkeys Get Their Own TV Time

Scientists at Utrecht University and The Ohio State University conducted an unusual experiment with 30 long-tailed macaques from two different groups at a research facility in the Netherlands. Each monkey was individually shown 16 two-minute video clips featuring either their own group members or monkeys they’d never encountered before. Researchers then measured how much attention the animals paid to each type of footage.

The monkeys were set up in corridors connected to their main living areas, where they could voluntarily watch a monitor or look away, move closer to the screen, or leave entirely. Cameras recorded their responses while researchers later analyzed the footage without knowing which type of video each monkey had watched.

The results, published in Animal Cognition were clear. Monkeys consistently focused more intently on videos featuring familiar faces from their own social groups. Rather than being drawn to the mystery of unknown monkeys, they appeared more invested in observing the social dynamics of individuals they already knew.

“The macaques are very visual animals. Their eyesight is similar to that of humans and they are very interested in watching videos,” said lead author Elisabeth H.M. Sterck, professor of animal behaviour and cognition at Utrecht University, in a statement.

Social Status Shapes Viewing Preferences

Individual personality traits significantly influenced viewing habits. Lower-ranking monkeys showed stronger preferences for watching videos of their group members compared to higher-ranking animals. Animals that typically showed less stress when witnessing real-life conflicts in their groups also paid more attention to videos of familiar faces.

Younger monkeys displayed more stress-related behaviors like scratching when watching videos of strangers, while animals that engaged in more social grooming in their daily lives showed less stress when viewing their own group members. This pattern indicates that stronger social bonds might provide emotional comfort even during video viewing.

Content Matters, But Familiarity Wins

The content of the videos influenced attention levels in predictable ways. Monkeys paid more attention to footage showing conflict or active movement compared to calm activities like grooming or sitting. From a survival perspective, aggressive encounters or sudden movements could signal important developments requiring immediate attention.

However, the familiarity factor consistently trumped content preferences. Even when videos showed relatively mundane activities like sitting or grooming, monkeys still devoted more attention to familiar faces than to dramatic footage of strangers engaging in conflicts or active behaviors.

“When we as humans watch movies, we like to see actors we know – we like to see the stars playing in big movies more than we do actors who are not familiar to us,” said co-author Brad Bushman, a professor of communication at Ohio State. “It’s not surprising that they both would be most interested in the video content that may help them navigate relationships in their groups.”

Why Monkeys Choose Social Intelligence Over Novelty

These results contradict what researchers expected to find. Previous studies have shown that novel stimuli — essentially anything new or unfamiliar — typically grab more attention from both humans and animals. The evolutionary logic seems sound: paying attention to new information could reveal threats or opportunities that familiar situations might not provide.

But these macaques operated by different rules. The research team believes their results reflect the high value that group-living primates place on understanding social dynamics within their own communities. For animals that depend on complex social relationships for survival, keeping track of alliances, conflicts, and changing relationships could be more valuable than learning about complete strangers.

The researchers note that these monkeys lived in complex, multi-generational groups that closely resembled natural social structures, unlike many research subjects raised in simplified environments. This richer social setting may have taught them to prioritize information about their own community members over curiosity about outsiders.

For animals whose survival depends on reading social cues, maintaining alliances, and avoiding conflicts, staying updated on group dynamics isn’t just entertainment — it’s essential intelligence gathering. These macaques treated videos of their group members like a social media feed, choosing to focus their attention on updates about individuals who matter most to their daily lives.

Disclaimer: This article summarizes findings from a controlled study of captive long-tailed macaques. Results may not fully apply to wild populations or other primate species. All conclusions reflect the authors’ interpretations in the original peer-reviewed paper.