Does stress make you itchy? You’re not alone, and you may be engaging in an elaborate conflict-prevention strategy that evolved millions of years ago.
Researchers from the University of Plymouth spent eight months in Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, observing a group of wild rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta, and watching for patterns—specifically in their scratching habits.
The scientists found that the macaques were scratching the most at times of heightened social stress, such as when they had to deal with a higher-ranking or unknown monkey. This echoes research conducted on human stress: We often have the same response when forced to confront our bosses…
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