Do Monkeys Pay For Sex?
Yes, you read that correctly.
I’ll explain in a moment, but first a quick Economics lesson.
Economists talk about how every person, corporation - and living creature - arranges their affairs in the fashion that best suits them as part of what is called their Personal Utility Function. In other words your purchase decisions, choice of employment, food selections, etc. are based upon your personal tastes and beliefs regarding your likes and dislikes.
It has been shown that even an amoeba will move from a nutrient-poor environment to a nutrient-rich environment in pursuit of its own Personal Utility Function. But does that mean that animals engage in commerce? Read on and decide for yourself.
In this story from Time Magazine’s web site, researchers describe how female Indonesian Long-tailed Macaques engage in prostitution in exchange for grooming services from males. There is even a sliding price scale which reacts to the number of females available and other factors in the immediate environment.
I’ve often said that the Personal Utility Function aspect of Microeconomic Theory is almost a law of Nature. I guess the fact that monkeys are engaging in the world’s oldest profession proves me right.
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Money is a powerful thing. Some researchers at Yale taught their primate subjects how to use tokens to get treats. The researchers published several papers about how the primates responded as economic theory predicted, e.g., when many more tokens were introduced, price inflation resulted.
What they did not publish, but told their friends, was that within hours of being trained in the use of “money” the primates established prostitution. Maybe prostitution is not the oldest profession.
Banking is.
That’s hilarious Tony!
Thanks for sharing that little-known bit of scientific research. I’m sure all of the bankers out there are just thrilled.
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