Tina Peterson

As a PhD student, I investigate chimpanzee tool representation under the supervision of Roman Wittig and Catherine Crockford at the Ape Social Mind Lab, CNRS, and Josep Call at the University of St Andrews. This shared supervision approach allows me to combine observational research in the Tai Forest with experimental work at the Wolfgang Koehler Primate Research Centre. My methods therefore include analyses of nut-cracking techniques, gathering sequences and tool-selection in varied scenarios. In the Tai Chimpanzee Project, my main curiosity focuses on how chimpanzees manage nutcracking resources in different social settings. Specifically, my work with the Tai chimpanzees allows me to examine how chimpanzees assign tool value and anticipate the actions from their peers based on detailed behavioural observations of their tool use, protective behaviour and gathering sequences.