Bystander effect seen in chimps too

London: Chimps, like humans, can detect what is right and wrong but will only react if someone is trying to harm a member of their own group, finds a significant study. They will remain bystanders if an unfamiliar chimp is being killed in another group. The study adds to the growing body of evidence that identifies the building blocks of human morality in our closest living relatives."

Results suggest that chimpanzees detect norm violations both within their group as well as in a group of unfamiliar individuals but they will only respond emotionally to such norm violations which are within their own group," said lead researcher Rudolf von Rohr, University of Zurich in Switzerland.