Numerical Competence in the Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)

黑猩猩（Pan troglodytes）的数字能力

• 批准号: 9222367
• 负责人: Sarah Boysen
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Ohio State University Research Foundation -DO NOT USE
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1993
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1993-03-01 至 1994-08-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9222367&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Numerical; Competence; Chimpanzee; Pan; troglodytes

This research project is evaluating the capacity for numerical competence of non-human primates. The research focuses on the ability of adolescent and adult chimpanzees to acquire number- related abilities, including counting, number comprehension, and the symbolic representation of quantities. Drs. Boysen and Berntson already have documented the acquisition of counting by chimpanzees, as well as the ability to manipulate number symbols through implicit counting strategies. Additional studies of the use of fractions for labelling portions of foods and other objects will be completed with two young-adult animals. Fraction concepts will be tested using novel objects and the introduction of a novel fraction. To test receptive number comprehension, the chimpanzees are shown an Arabic numeral and then must construct an array of the same number from a collection of objects. This is a high-level counting skill, and preliminary tests indicate success unprecedented in animal research. This research is adding greatly to our understanding of the information-processing capacities of non-human primates for symbol use, and the similarities and differences in representational abilities between humans and apes. The demonstration of such abilities in a species that shares our primate heritage will make important contributions towards characterizing the possible evolution of cognition in our early hominid ancestry. These studies may also yield significant teaching and training strategies for the acquisition of complex numerical skills, which could be applied in a variety of settings and for a range of compromised human populations, including learning-disabled, autistic, and developmentally-delayed children.

该研究项目正在评估非人类灵长类动物的数字能力。 该研究的重点是青少年和成年黑猩猩获得数字相关能力的能力，包括计数、数字理解和数量的符号表示。 博士。博伊森和伯恩森已经记录了黑猩猩获得计数的能力，以及通过隐式计数策略操纵数字符号的能力。 关于使用分数来标记食品和其他物体部分的更多研究将在两只年轻的成年动物身上完成。 将使用新颖的物体和新颖的分数的引入来测试分数概念。 为了测试接受数字的理解能力，黑猩猩会看到一个阿拉伯数字，然后必须从一组物体中构建一个相同数字的数组。 这是一种高水平的计数技能，初步测试表明在动物研究中取得了前所未有的成功。 这项研究极大地加深了我们对非人类灵长类动物使用符号的信息处理能力以及人类和猿之间表征能力的异同的理解。 在与我们拥有灵长类遗产的物种中展示这种能力将为表征我们早期原始人类祖先可能的认知进化做出重要贡献。 这些研究还可能产生重要的教学和培训策略，以获取复杂的数字技能，这些策略可以应用于各种环境和一系列受影响的人群，包括学习障碍、自闭症和发育迟缓的儿童。