Number Representation in Primates

描述（由申请人提供）：成年人的数学能力超过任何非人类动物的数学能力。尽管老鼠和猴子都不可能平衡支票簿或证明毕达哥拉斯定理，但有相当多的证据表明，非人类动物也有能力凭借自己的能力做出令人印象深刻的数学壮举。各种各样的动物，如老鼠、鸽子、雪貂、浣熊、猴子和猿类，已经被证明可以根据包括闪光、色调、抽象视觉元素、家庭物品、食物碎片和它们自己的反应在内的刺激做出数字判断（评论见Boysen & Capaldi, 1992; Brannon & Roitman, 2003; Gallistel & Gelman, 1992; Dehaene, 1997）。PI之前的研究通过证明恒河猴代表数字之间抽象的序数关系，鸽子代表线性而不是对数尺度的数字，为这一文献做出了贡献。此外，越来越多的数据表明，动物拥有的非语言数字系统与人类共享，并且在发展早期就出现了（例如，Brannon, 2002; Brannon & Terrace, 2002; Whalen et al., 1999; Spelke, 2000）。研究人类数字能力的进化基础将为了解这一系统的本质提供重要的见解。我们对动物非语言数字认知的认识仍存在三个主要空白，1)数字表征是抽象的还是具体的，2)学习在特定数字能力表达中的作用，以及3)人类数字认知的哪些方面在系统发育上是保守的，哪些方面是某些或所有灵长类动物共有的。本实验的结果将为进一步了解非语言数字认知提供一个更全面的认识，并为理解人类数字认知的进化基础提供一个跳板。此外，提出的研究旨在提供一个猴子模型，将提供深入了解儿童的正常数字发展和理解非典型发展的基础。因此，这项研究将有助于pi理解动物和人类婴儿数学思维之间关系的广泛目标，并努力阐明无语言思维和成人认知的构建模块。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mathematical abilities in adult humans exceed the numerical capacities of any non-human animal. Although neither rat nor monkey is likely to balance a checkbook or prove Pythagorous' theorem there is considerable evidence that non-human animals are capable of impressive mathematical feats in their own right. Animal genera as diverse as rats, pigeons, ferrets, raccoons, monkeys, and apes have been shown to make numerical judgments with stimuli that include light flashes, tones, abstract visual elements, house-hold objects, food morsels, and their own responses (for reviews see Boysen & Capaldi, 1992; Brannon & Roitman 2003; Gallistel & Gelman, 1992; Dehaene, 1997). The PI's previous research has contributed to this literature by demonstrating that rhesus monkeys represent abstract ordinal relations between numerosities and that pigeons represent number on a linear rather than a logarithmic scale. Furthermore, a growing body of data suggests that the nonverbal numerical system, held by animals, is shared by humans and appears early in development (e.g., Brannon, 2002; Brannon & Terrace, 2002; Whalen et al., 1999; Spelke, 2000). Studying the evolutionary basis of human numerical capacities will provide important insight into the nature of this system. Three main gaps remain in our knowledge of non-verbal numerical cognition in animals, 1) whether numerical representations are abstract or concrete, 2) the role of learning in the expression of particular numerical abilities, and 3) which aspects of human numerical cognition are phylogenetically conservative and which aspects are shared by some or all primates. The results of the proposed experiments will provide a more complete understanding of non-verbal numerical cognition and provide a springboard for understanding the evolutionary bases of human numerical cognition. Furthermore the proposed research seeks to provide a monkey model that will provide insight into normal numerical development in children and a basis for understanding atypical development. As such this research will contribute to the PIs broad goal of understanding the relationship between mathematical thinking in animals and human infants in an effort to shed light on thought without language and the building blocks of adult human cognition.