vervet

[1]In 2002, a study of vervet monkeys in the UK found male/female preferences for boy/girl toys.

A toy pot might be a girl toy in human society, but I question whether the same is true in vervet monkey society.

The same gendered toy preference that exists in humans has also been demonstrated in vervet monkeys[2] and rhesus monkeys[3].

Do vervet monkeys hold a sterotype for female vervet monkeys cooking with a pot in the kitchen, before they invent cooking, pots or kitchens?

Rhesus monkeys, vervet monkeys, pretty much whatever species of monkeys you try it on, the male monkeys enjoy wheeled toys more and the female monkeys plush toys more.

As were laboratory macaques, chimpanzees, vervet monkeys and mice, as well as domestic dogs, domestic cats, and domestic and feral rats from both rural and urban areas.

Their data demonstrated that male vervet monkeys showed significantly greater interest in the masculine toys, and the female vervet monkeys showed significantly greater interest in the feminine toys.

To make matters even weirder, the same gendered toy preference has also been demonstrated in rhesus monkeys[2] and vervet monkeys[3].From [2]: "We present here striking evidence of a sex difference in rhesus monkey preference for human gender-stereotyped toys paralleling that reported in humans, suggesting that gender differences in toy choice may reflect evolved sex differences in activity preferences not primarily resulting from socialization processes.