IIIb. Some examples which seem to require a higher order of thinking 1. Insight learning 2. Flexible instincts 3. Communication 4. Tool using 5. Cultural transmission IIIb. Some examples which seem to require a higher order of thinking Anecdotes (brilliant pets) Insight learning *Flexible instincts *Communication (complex) *Tool using *Cultural transmission Ability to learn language Consciousness/self-awareness *Social behavior (complex) Kohler s chimps Insight Learning Suddenness of finding solution thought to indicate mental process of insight (in movie) Insightful behavior in the raven (shown in movie) 1
Skinnerians do not assume that chimps (or humans) are smarter than simpler animals like a rat or a pigeon! Rat or pigeon may just lack the necessary background experience or the behavioral components that go into the solution to the problem. S.O.B. s have a different take Epstein s pigeon simulation expt: 1a. Teach pigeon to climb on box and peck at banana 1b. Separately, teach pigeon to push box to target (spot on floor) 2. Test day: banana out of reach, box present what does pigeon do? S.O.B. s have a different take Epstein s pigeon simulation expt: Once the pigeon has learned the separate components to push the box to a target and to peck at the banana it will put them together quickly and suddenly (insight!) to get at the banana when it is out of reach! Plover distraction display 2
Plover distraction display: mindless innate ploy or flexible, intelligent behavior? Spots predator, moves quietly away from nest. Then: runs off nosily, squeaking like rodent. OR: pretends to incubate a brood; OR: calls loudly, then moves to and from predator; OR: broken-wing display but always leads predator away from nest also: consider response to cows three kinds of alarm calls in vervet monkeys Seyfarth & Cheney pioneers in study of primate communication (now study baboons) Tool use - Chimps Tool use - Gorillas Discovered by Jane Goodall in 1960, 1 st known example of tool making and usage outside of humans, causing Louis Leakey to declare: "Now we must redefine tool, redefine Man, or accept chimpanzees as humans." Leah first looked at the new elephant pool and the branch she later used as the walking stick, and entered the water without the tool (not shown). After re-entering the pool and taking the branch with her right hand, she walked bipedally 8 10 m into the water, frequently testing water depth. 3
Tool use Tool use in Egyptian vulture Tool use Woodpecker Finch New Caledonian Crow 4
Cultural transmission Cultural transmission Milk bottle opening first appeared in England at the arrows and then spread outward to the dots Cultural transmission generally assumed to require (1) insight learning and (2) observational learning or teaching. Caution has the observing bird learned how to open the bottle or simply that there s food in it? = local enhancement Mechanism of cultural transmission Are humans natural-born imitators? Potato washing in Japanese macaques of Koshima Island 5
Language Learning in Animals Original goal: can animals learn language? How big is the gulf between human and animal? Language learning Lana Taught a system of communication using keyboard lexigrams (Yerkish). If Lana wanted a particular food or rewards, she had to ask computer to give it. (Ex: Please machine give apple. Please machine show slides.) Kelloggs raised chimpanzee as a member of their family. Chimp learned to recognize more than 100 words. But chimps are not able to produce human speech sounds. Language learning Lana Taught a system of communication using keyboard lexigrams (Yerkish). If Lana wanted a particular food or rewards, she had to ask computer to give it. (Ex: Please machine give apple. Please machine show slides.) Lana Kanzi understands spoken language Kanzi & novel sentences Kanzi the toolmaker Kanzi Rumbaughs 6