A pioneering project led by researchers from the University of Stirling and the Max Planck Institute has opened the door for new insights into the evolutionary origins of human intelligence, by compiling the largest dataset of great ape cognition available globally.

Studying great ape cognition, how the animals think, learn, and understand the world, is crucial for understanding the foundations of human cognitive abilities. However, work is often hindered by small sample sizes and restricted access to data.
Researchers at almost 100 institutions supported the creation of the Max Planck Institute-funded EVApeCognition Dataset – with hopes high that the resource could enhance scientific understanding of how human intelligence has evolved.

Psychologist Dr Alejandro Sanchez-Amaro from the University of Stirling’s Faculty of Natural Sciences led efforts to develop the open-access dataset, which is the largest and most comprehensive collection of experimental studies of great apes’ cognition and behaviour available globally – bringing together 262 experimental datasets from 150 publications.

Dr Sanchez-Amaro explained: “In our field, ape participation per study is usually low. Most studies therefore focus on specific questions and tend to produce relatively small datasets.

“Compiling an open-access dataset involving over 80 different great apes participating in over 150 studies over an extended period of time is quite unique in comparative psychology.

“We expect this dataset to be used for both research and educational purposes in psychology, biology and disciplines related to human evolution. A testament to the uniqueness and value of our dataset is the collaboration of over 100 co-authors who contributed their data and helped us standardise it for future use.”

As members of the Hominidae family, humans share a recent evolutionary history with other great apes. Chimpanzees and bonobos are our closest living relatives, having diverged from a common ancestor with humans around six million years ago.

The new resource brings together data from studies published between 2001 and 2020 at the Wolfgang Köhler Primate Research Centre – enabling researchers to examine how great apes’ thinking develops, how their mental abilities are organised, and how they differ from one individual to another, on an unprecedented scale.

The release of the dataset coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Centre, which was established by the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology and Leipzig Zoo.

Principal Investigator, Dr Daniel Haun, director at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, said: “For science, the dataset’s significance lies in its scale, accessibility, and continuity.

“By bringing together numerous small-scale studies to create a standardised resource, EVApeCognition lays the groundwork for answering broader questions about cognition that were previously challenging to address. It also strengthens comparative research into the evolutionary roots of human intelligence.”

Data was gathered, standardised and subject to a rigorous internal review before being published, with hopes high that it will inspire other institutions to adopt similar practices to help build a stronger collective understanding.

Dr Sanchez-Amaro added: “We hope that teachers and lecturers can use our dataset for a range of projects within the natural sciences.

“This resource will also allow researchers to track long‑term patterns and explore developmental questions that are impossible to answer with single studies.”

The manuscript EVApeCognition: An 18-year dataset of great ape cognition is published in Nature, with a dedicated GitHub repository also launched containing the data. The project was funded by the Max Planck Institute.