Roger Fouts

Roger S. Fouts delivering Washoe's Eulogy

Roger S. Fouts(born June 8, 1943) is a retired American primate researcher. He was co-founder and co-director of theChimpanzee and Human Communication Institute(CHCI) in Washington, and a professor of psychology at theCentral Washington University.He is best known for his role in teachingWashoe the chimpanzeeto communicate using a set of signs taken from Americansign language.

Fouts is ananimal rightsadvocate, citing theNew ZealandAnimal Welfare Actas a model for legal rights for the Great Apes (Hominidae),and campaigning with BritishprimatologistJane Goodallfor improved conditions for chimpanzees. He has written on animal law and on the ethics ofanimal testing.He is also an adviser to theOxford Centre for Animal Ethics.

He is married toDeborah Fouts,who was the co-director and co-founder of CHCI.

Early life

Fouts was born inSacramento, California.He received his B.A. in child psychology from the college that becameCalifornia State University, Long Beacha few years later. In 1964, he marriedDeborah Harris,whobecame his life-time collaborator. Fouts earned his Ph.D. from theUniversity of Nevada, Reno.

Career

In 1967, Fouts' career took a decisive turn after it was almost derailed by a disastrous job interview with Dr.Allen Gardnerin Reno, Nevada. However,Washoe,a chimpanzee, took an immediate liking to Roger, and leapt into his arms. A few days later he was told he had got the job.In 1970 the project with Washoe and the Gardners relocated to the Institute of Primate Studies inNorman, Oklahoma.

The Gardners and Fouts taught the chimpanzees signs fromAmerican Sign Language(ASL) by modeling (demonstration and getting the chimps to imitate) and physical prompting (directly manipulating the chimpanzees' hands into the required shapes). As the studies progressed, they found that the animals used ASL to communicate with each other. The apes created phrases from combinations of signs to denote new things that were brought into their environment. Loulis, Washoe's adopted son, learned basic ASL and over 70 signs directly from Washoe, without human involvement.

Fouts has been a consultant or adviser on four movies, includingGreystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes(1984).

See also

• Great ape language
• International primate trade
• List of animal rights advocates
• Nonhuman primate experiments
• Washoe (chimpanzee)

Further reading

• Roger Foutsat Central Washington University
• The Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute
• Biographyat Muskingum College History of Psychology Archives
• Fouts, Roger S. & Mills, Stephen Tukel (1997)Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees,William Morrow.ISBN0-688-14862-X
• Fouts, Roger S. (1973) "Acquisition and testing of gestural signs in four young chimpanzees", 180Science,pp. 978–980.