Do capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) use tokens as symbols?
Do capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) use tokens as symbols?
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DOI：
10.1098/rspb.2007.0726
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发表时间：
2007-10-22
影响因子：
4.7
通讯作者：
Visalberghi, E.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Addessi, E.;Crescimbene, L.;Visalberghi, E.
在没有语言的情况下，对符号的理解是难以证明的。标记可以被认为是符号，因为它们任意地代表其他东西，而与其所指对象没有任何图标关系。我们评估了卷尾猴（Cebus apella）是否可以使用代币作为符号来表示和联合收割机数量。我们的范例涉及在代币A和B的各种组合之间进行选择，代币A和B分别值一个和三个奖励。回报最大化要求通过以下方式评估每个报价的价值：（i）估计代币的数量，（ii）表示每个代币代表什么，以及（iii）进行简单的计算。当一个代币B与一到五个代币A（实验1）相对时，十只卷尾猴中有四只依赖于灵活的策略来最大化他们的收益，即。e.他们更喜欢一个代币B而不是一个和两个代币A，他们更喜欢四个或五个代币A而不是一个代币B。此外，当两个令牌B对三到六个令牌A（实验2），六只卷尾猴中的两个进行求和的数量表示。这些发现表明卷尾猴可以使用代币作为符号来灵活地组合联合收割机数量。
In the absence of language, the comprehension of symbols is difficult to demonstrate. Tokens can be considered symbols since they arbitrarily stand for something else without having any iconic relation to their referent. We assessed whether capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) can use tokens as symbols to represent and combine quantities. Our paradigm involved choices between various combinations of tokens A and B, worth one and three rewards, respectively. Pay-off maximization required the assessment of the value of each offer by (i) estimating token numerousness, (ii) representing what each token stands for and (iii) making simple computations. When one token B was presented against one to five tokens A (experiment 1), four out of ten capuchins relied on a flexible strategy that allowed to maximize their payoff, i. e. they preferred one token B against one and two tokens A, and they preferred four or five tokens A against one token B. Moreover, when two tokens B were presented against three to six tokens A (experiment 2), two out of six capuchins performed summation over representation of quantities. These findings suggest that capuchins can use tokens as symbols to flexibly combine quantities.