The whole world is in a state of change with its living or non-living elements. On a larger scale, we can observe this change in the universe itself. From this point of view, we can see the inevitability of change. Change can be achieved on an individual basis as well as socially. For this, we come across a threshold that we call “critical mass”. Every change has a critical mass and it is possible to change social thoughts and actions through it.
Today we will talk about the “Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon” that will enable you to better understand the critical mass that marketers also focus on. Derived from an experiment that started in 1952 and continued for more than 30 years to help us understand the critical mass, this phenomenon also shows us how to overcome social prejudices. Let’s get to know the story of the experiment on the Japanese island of Koshima in the Pacific Ocean.
The story of the Centenary Monkey Phenomenon
Ken Keyes Jr. The Centenary Monkey Phenomenon, based on a true experiment written by Dr., is performed on monkeys of the Macaca Fuscata species on the Japanese island of Koshima. In the experiment, which lasted more than 30 years, the habits of the monkeys were investigated.
Monkeys, which are the animal species most similar to human species with their eating habits and behaviors, are frequently used in social experiments for this reason. According to Ken Keyes Jr.’s book, The Centenary Monkey Experiment began in 1952 when a sweet potato was placed in the sand for the monkeys to feed on. Monkeys, who love the taste of potatoes, do not like the fact that this food they encounter is covered with sand. Since they love potatoes very much, monkeys, who start eating even in a sandy way, continue to eat potatoes like this for a while.
One day, a monkey named Imo, who is only 18 months old, puts potatoes covered with sand in a puddle, washes them and eats it that way. His own mother learns about this thing that Imo does. This washing tactic, which Imo and his family learned in the first stage, spreads to other monkeys in about 6 years. Some monkeys continue to eat sandy potatoes against this innovation. Generally, these monkeys, who are not yet adults and have no children, do not want to learn anything from the smaller monkeys in terms of both age and social status.
In the autumn of 1958, 99 out of 100 monkeys in Koshima wash the potatoes and begin their meal. (The numbers 99 and 100 are taken as hypotheses here. They are included to make the experiment easier to understand.) After the hundredth monkey starts to eat the potato by washing it, extremely surprising things begin to happen. In the evening when the hundredth monkey washes the potatoes and starts eating, all the other monkeys on the island wash the potatoes and start eating. At this point, the hundredth monkey washing and eating the potato forms the critical mass and the threshold is exceeded.
This is not the most surprising point of the experiment. After the monkeys on the island of Koshima begin to wash and eat the potatoes, the monkeys on the other islands, which have nothing to do with this island and the monkeys in it, start to wash the potatoes at the same time. This experiment, dubbed the “Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon,” is repeated by Duke University’s Doctor JBRhine under different conditions, with similar results each time.
Is the Centenary Monkey Phenomenon real?
When we do some research on the Centenary Monkey Phenomenon, we see that such an experiment was indeed done, but not exactly as in the story. The experiment we see in the story seems legendary based on the fact.
When we look at this stage, we see that there are places where the story and the experiment report match, but situations such as when all the monkeys wash the potato at once and the monkeys on other islands suddenly start this action become mythical parts of the story.
What does the Centenary Monkey Phenomenon tell us?
A hypothetical phenomenon, this phenomenon shows that when a certain “awareness” reaches critical mass, this new awareness can be transmitted from mind to mind. Even if 1 million people believe that idea, full awareness may not be achieved, but when 1 million + 1 critical mass is reached, a morphogenetic field can be achieved.
So what do you guys think about the Centenary Monkey Phenomenon? Do not forget to share your thoughts and comments with us.
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