Japanese macaques voluntarily played a touchscreen video game for nearly 100 rounds without receiving food or mating rewards [1].

The findings suggest that curiosity—defined as an intrinsic impulse to seek information—can drive complex exploratory behavior in primates independently of physical incentives. This challenges traditional views that animal interaction with technology is primarily motivated by extrinsic prizes.

Researchers in Japan conducted the study to investigate whether an internal drive for information could sustain engagement in a controlled environment [1, 2]. The macaques were presented with a game where the outcomes of their choices varied in predictability.

The data showed a specific preference for game settings characterized by moderate uncertainty [1, 4]. The monkeys did not gravitate toward completely predictable outcomes, nor did they prefer total randomness. Instead, they actively explored stimuli that provided a balance of known and unknown elements.

This behavior mirrors human curiosity, where individuals are often most attracted to challenges that are neither too easy nor impossibly difficult. By playing for approximately 100 rounds [1] without any tangible prize, the macaques demonstrated a willingness to spend significant time and effort simply to resolve uncertainty.

The study utilized touchscreen interfaces to track the monkeys' decision-making processes [1, 2]. By removing food rewards from the equation, the scientists were able to isolate curiosity as the primary motivator for the animals' persistence.

“Japanese macaques voluntarily played a touchscreen video game for nearly 100 rounds without receiving food or mating rewards.”

This research provides evidence that the drive for information is a fundamental biological trait shared between humans and non-human primates. By demonstrating that macaques seek 'moderate uncertainty,' the study suggests that the cognitive mechanism for curiosity is not merely a byproduct of reward-seeking, but a distinct evolutionary tool used to map and understand an environment.