In “Chimps lose out by aping others” (New Scientist, 23 April 2011), we learn,
Chimps seem curiously unable to use their own initiative to gain the best possible reward if this means behaving in a different way to a dominant group member.
However,
Hopper is not convinced that this behaviour means that chimps are less clever than we thought. “Copying what a dominant group member does could help the chimps to maintain alliances,” she says, much like the way humans follow fashion trends.
News flash: “Troubled pop star turns up as homeless bag lady. Millions of women follow suit.”