Spontaneous number representation in semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys
Spontaneous number representation in semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys
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DOI：
10.1098/rspb.2000.1078
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发表时间：
2000-04-22
影响因子：
4.7
通讯作者：
Hauser, LB
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Hauser, MD;Carey, S;Hauser, LB
先前的研究表明，动物具有相当的数字能力。然而，这项工作是基于实验，涉及广泛的培训，少数圈养科目和相对人工测试程序。我们提出了超过200个半自由放养的恒河猴使用的任务，不涉及培训和模仿自然觅食问题的实验结果。受试者观察两名实验者将苹果片放入两个不透明的容器中，每次一片。然后，实验者走开，以便受试者可以接近。当比较是一片对两片，两片对三片，三片对四片，三片对五片时，猴子选择了装着更多苹果片的容器。四对五，失败了？四对六，四对八，三对八对照组确定，是数字的表示方式决定了他们的成功选择，而不是把苹果片放进盒子里所花的时间或放进盒子里的苹果的体积。在大于三个切片的值处的失败与其他动物研究形成鲜明对比，在其他动物研究中，涉及训练，并且证明了上级的数字能力。恒河猴在这个自发数字任务中取得的成功范围与人类婴儿取得的成功范围相匹配，并且与自然语言语法中编码的范围相对应。
Previous research has shown that animals possess considerable numerical abilities. However, this work was based on experiments involving extensive training, a small number of captive subjects and relatively artificial testing procedures. We present the results of experiments on over 200 semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys using a task which involves no training and mimics a natural foraging problem. The subjects observed two experimenters place pieces of apple, one at a time, into each of two opaque containers. The experimenters then walked away so that the subjects could approach. The monkeys chose the container with the greater number of apple slices when the comparisons were one versus two, two versus three, three versus four and three versus five slices. They failed at four versus five? four versus six, four versus eight and three versus eight slices. Controls established that it was the representation of number which underlay their successful choices rather than the amount of time spent placing apple pieces into the box or the volume of apple placed in the box. The failures at values greater than three slices stand in striking contrast to other animal studies where training was involved and in which far superior numerical abilities were demonstrated. The range of success achieved by rhesus monkeys in this spontaneous-number task matches the range achieved by human infants and corresponds to the range encoded in the syntax of natural languages.