When we have an audience, it can affect how well we perform. New research has found that the performance of chimpanzees on challenging computer tasks is influenced by how many humans are watching.
The findings of the study suggest that the “audience effect” existed before reputation-based human societies, a press release from Cell Press said.
“It was very surprising to find that chimpanzees are affected in their task performance by audience members, and by human audience members nonetheless,” said Christen Lin of Kyoto University’s Primate Research Institute, in the press release. “One might not expect a chimp to particularly care if another species is watching them perform a task, but the fact that they seem to be affected by human audiences even depending on the difficulty of the task suggests that this relationship is more complex than we would have initially expected.”
The researchers set out to see if the audience effect — frequently attributed to reputation management in humans — could also occur in a non-human primate.
“Having an audience present, even one of a different species, may be introducing some kind of pressure for the chimpanzees during their task. We hypothesize that the presence of audience members could be causing stress that increases their skill in more difficult situations, or that having more familiar audience members present might cause the chimps to subconsciously perceive the food rewards as higher value, increasing their motivation and thus their performance under more stressful conditions,” Lin told EcoWatch in an email.
The researchers already knew that people are attuned to those watching them, sometimes subconsciously, in ways that can impact their performance. Chimpanzees live in hierarchical societies, but the researchers weren’t sure to what extent they might, like humans, be influenced by having an audience.
“Our study site is special in that chimpanzees frequently interact with and even enjoy the company of humans here, participating almost daily in various touch screen experiments for food rewards,” said Akiho Muramatsu, an assistant professor at Kyoto University, in the press release. “As such, we saw the opportunity to not only explore potential similarities in audience-related effects but also to do so in the context of chimps that share unique bonds with humans.”
The touch screen experimental booth seen from the outside. Chimps and humans can see each other during the experiment. On the human side is an automatic feeder, which rotates to dispense food into a funnel for the chimpanzee. Here we see chimpanzee Ai looking at the photographer. Akiho Muramatsu
Over a period of six years, the researchers analyzed thousands of sessions during which the chimpanzees completed a task on a touch screen.
In three separate number-based tasks, they found that chimpanzees performed increasingly better on the hardest assignment as the number of familiar humans watching them increased. On the other hand, chimpanzees performed worse on the easiest task when they were being watched by a higher number of familiar people, such as the experimenters.
“The chimpanzees may already know that the easier tasks require less focus to do correctly and receive food rewards, and so they could be dedicating less attention to the touch screen tasks during these easier tasks,” Lin told EcoWatch. “Additionally, based on the distraction hypothesis, the types of skills required to perform these tasks are different and may therefore be affected in different ways under pressure. For rigid, rule-based tasks such as the easy tasks in our study, performance is expected to decline under pressure based on this hypothesis.”
Does the result mean that the established relationships chimpanzees had with the humans observing them was a factor in their performance?
“The chimps’ relationship with humans in general may have affected their performance in comparison to wild chimpanzees, for example. However, their relationship with any specific humans in the audience probably would not have affected the results in this study because we have thousands of sessions collected over several years, and different experimenters and people would be present every day,” Lin said.
The research team noted that it was still not clear what particular mechanisms were responsible for the audience-related effects in chimps and humans. They said additional research in non-human apes could provide more insight into why the trait developed and how it evolved.
“Our findings suggest that how much humans care about witnesses and audience members may not be quite so specific to our species,” said Shinya Yamamoto, an associate professor at Kyoto University, in the press release. “These characteristics are a core part of how our societies are largely based on reputation, and if chimpanzees also pay special attention towards audience members while they perform their tasks, it stands to reason that these audience-based characteristics could have evolved before reputation-based societies emerged in our great ape lineage.”
Lin said the study showed that there are similarities between chimpanzee and human behavior when people are watching.
“This study reveals that chimps can be affected by audiences watching them, much like ourselves. Knowing that chimps also can be impacted by audiences reveals another way that we are more similar to chimpanzees than many people might realize. We can also feel pressure when people are watching us, but just as the chimps did in this study, we can also clutch up and be motivated to perform even better than usual in front of an audience,” Lin told EcoWatch.
How much would chimpanzees be affected by an audience made up entirely of their peers?
“In future studies we would like to test with chimpanzee audiences of various sizes as well, as we were only able to test with human audiences this time. Our results suggest that chimpanzees might be affected by chimpanzee audience members depending on how familiar they are with them, as they were unaffected in performance by unfamiliar human audience members in our study. In terms of chimp social groups, it is clear that chimps have to modify their behavior based on who might be watching them, much like we humans have to in order to maintain our social standings and reputations in our own societies,” Lin added.
The study, “Audience presence influences cognitive task performance in chimpanzees,” was published in the journal iScience.
The post Chimpanzees Perform Better on Computer Tasks When There Is an Audience, Study Finds appeared first on EcoWatch.
https://www.ecowatch.com/chimpanzees-computer-tasks-performance-audience.html
Today’s quote is from Native American author and poet Sherman Alexie. In his award-winning book for young people, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, he wrote: “The world, even the smallest parts of it, is filled with things you don’t know.”
Take some time today to quietly observe the world around you and celebrate the wonders of our planet, our home.
Earth911 inspirations. Post them and share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click the poster to get a larger image.
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https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-filled-with-things-you-dont-know/
Last Updated on March 11, 2026
This post was sponsored by Casamera. All thoughts and opinions are my own; for more information, please see my disclosure policy.
Have you ever seen those ‘everything shower’ videos trying to convince you to use 12+ products on your skin and hair? Including plastic poufs destined for landfill in 2 months time?
All you really need is a bar of soap, shampoo/conditioner, safety razor, and something natural to lather with. Enter Casamera, a sustainable brand who creates konjac sponges for face and body (aka all-natural shower sponges).
But what exactly is a konjac sponge? And are they all created equal? Here’s everything you need to know so you can ditch plastic poufs for good.
What Is a Konjac Sponge?
A konjac sponge is a natural skin exfoliant made from the konjac plant, a root vegetable. To make konjac sponges, the konjac tubers are harvested and fiber (glucomannan) is extracted from the root.
The fiber is mixed with water and various other natural ingredients to form a gel-like mixture. This mixture is poured into molds to create the desired shape and size. It’s then steamed to solidify and stabilize the structure.
Casamera makes all-natural shower sponges that include konjac powder as one of the four natural ingredients it takes to make one. Their scrubbers come in a variety of infusions, such as charcoal (best for oily/acne-prone skin), matcha, volcanic mud, peppermint, and walnut.
But not all konjac sponges are the same: Casamera’s dual-sided design has one soft side and one exfoliating side (powered by natural walnut shells), making it suitable for both face and body.
Most conventional konjac sponges are for facial skincare only, making Casamera’s a perfect replacement for plastic poufs. The ergonomic handle fits perfectly in your hand, and you can easily hang it up to dry after use.
Konjac Sponge Benefits
The best known benefits of using a konjac sponge are cleansing and gently exfoliating skin. It’s extremely gentle, so it can help unclog pores, especially helpful to those with oily or acne-prone skin.
Casamera’s sponges are also 100% compostable, unlike plastic poufs destined for landfills. It’s also dual sided: The honeycomb side is perfect for washing up whereas the other side exfoliates for deep cleaning.
Plastic poufs can also smell moldy after just a week. Casamera’s scrubbers don’t have that problem because they’re antimicrobial and fast-drying. Which means less replacements and more money saving!
You’re also not scrubbing microplastics onto your body and down the drain. Casamera’s sponges are plastic-free, even down to their low-waste shipping materials. Plus they plant trees to offset their carbon footprint from manufacturing and shipping!
There’s three different sizes: The OG, the XL and the mini. The mini is great for the face, OG works as an ideal body scrubber, and XL is perfect for smothering your body (and backside) in soapy suds.
How to Use a Konjac Sponge (Step-by-Step)
To use Casamera’s scrubbers, here’s a simple step by step routine that’s easy to remember:
- Presoak the scrubber with water
- Apply body wash to it (I love Plaine Products refillable body wash)
- Scrub away!
- Rinse it out (make sure there’s no suds or water left)
- Hang it dry (ideally in a well-ventilated area)
How Long Do Konjac Sponges Last?
If properly maintained, a konjac sponge can last 2-3 months or longer depending on use. To sanitize it, once a week, add the sponge to a bowl of boiling water for a couple of minutes.
If you’re using the sponge daily, be mindful it may deteriorate faster. If you see a difference in color, texture, or a strange smell, replace it.
Getting the scrubber pack is ideal because you’ll get three sponges in one pack, enough to last months!
Konjac Sponge vs Face Wipes
While makeup wipes may be considered easy and convenient, they also tend to be saturated in harsh chemicals that can irritate your skin (some may even contain PFAs).
Plus face wipes are single-use, meaning they’ll end up in a landfill somewhere or worse – fatbergs. Fatbergs are massive, solidified blockages in sewer systems made up of oils, grease, fats, and non-biodegradable items (like wet wipes).
Whatever you choose to use, never flush face wipes down the toilet – even if it says flushable.
Konjac sponges are reusable and capable of removing your makeup without the use of questionable ingredients. Just soak it in water, add your favorite cleanser, and watch the grime and makeup come right off!
And when they’re at the end of their life, they can be composted, instead of polluting our sewers.
Is a Konjac Sponge Worth It?
Yes, a konjac sponge is worth it (specifically Casamera’s) and here’s a quick recap as to why:
- Made using 4 clean ingredients (konjac powder, water, walnut shells, + infusion)
- Gently exfoliates + washes skin
- 100% compostable, doesn’t shed microplastics
- Easy to use in 5 steps
- Comes in a variety of infusions for every skin type
- Will last 2–3 months or longer depending on use
- Ships plastic-free
- OneTreePlanted partner
So, would you give konjac sponges a try? Let me know in the comments!
And, a huge thank you to Casamera for sponsoring this post. Be sure to visit Casamera.com to get your hands on their rejuvenating scrubber pack!
The post Ditch the Plastic Pouf: Try This All-Natural Shower Sponge Instead appeared first on Going Zero Waste.
Ditch the Plastic Pouf: Try This All-Natural Shower Sponge Instead
Green Living
Best of Sustainability In Your Ear: Carbon Direct Chief Scientist Julio Friedmann on the Path to Carbon Removal
The scale of our climate challenge is staggering: humans have pumped 1.6 trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air and oceans since 1750, and we’re adding another 40 billion tonnes every year. Even with dramatic emissions reductions, we’re still on track to blow past 1.5 degrees of warming, the Paris Accord target first breached in 2024. Tune in to a conversation with Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct. This carbon management company partners with Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, and American Express to transform net-zero commitments into science-backed action plans. After a career that began as a researcher at ExxonMobil and included service at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Columbia University’s energy policy center, and running advanced energy programs in the Obama administration’s Department of Energy, Julio brings unique expertise to the intersection of massive climate challenges and current technological capabilities.
As companies work toward 2030 and 2050 carbon goals, the question isn’t whether we’ll need massive carbon removal—it’s whether we can deploy it fast enough and fairly enough to matter. The recent $100 million XPRIZE Carbon Removal awards highlighted the diversity of approaches being pursued, with natural solutions like enhanced rock weathering using basalt and azomite soil, and biochar applications to farmland dominating the winners. But how do these technologies stack up against the hype? Friedmann provides a realistic assessment of where Direct Air Capture, ocean alkalinity enhancement, and other carbon removal approaches stand today. Carbon Direct’s team of 70+ scientists changes the conversation with corporate clients about their carbon strategies, providing the scientific firepower to offer hard feedback about what’s needed to preserve the markets, supply chains, and revenue streams companies depend on. You can learn more about Carbon Direct’s work and explore their library of climatetech reports at https://www.carbon-direct.com/
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https://earth911.com/podcast/sustainability-in-your-ear-carbon-direct-chief-scientist-julio-friedmann-on-the-path-to-carbon-removal/
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