Income Inequality in Action, Monkey-Style

Legendary primatologist Frans de Waal presents a video in which two capuchin monkeys are given unequal pay for equal work. One of them gets paid in cucumbers, the other in grapes. Can you guess which one is happier?

http://youtu.be/g8mynrRd7Ak

It is amazing to see how the principles of behavioral economics spill so easily into the animal kingdom. (You may also wish to consider Keith Chen‘s economic research with capuchins.)

So the next time you feel you’re being unfairly compensated, or feel the broader sting of income inequality, you can say to your friends, “I feel just like a monkey who’s been given a cucumber while the monkey next door got a grape,” and thanks to Frans de Waal they will know what you are talking about.

(HT: V. Brenner)