Communicative and Cognitive Competence in an Exceptional Code

培养用特定代码进行交流的能力不仅需要学习如何生成代码，还需要学习如何使用代码。佩珀伯格博士将研究这些过程，方法是确定教授受试者通常不会获得的指令集(“异常代码”)所需的条件，然后检查该代码的功能用法。Pepperberg博士之前已经证明，依赖参照社会模型的训练程序使非洲灰鹦鹉能够获得并结合英语发音(一种特殊的代码)，以(A)请求、拒绝、量化、识别和分类物体，以及(B)在有限程度上控制其周围环境。佩珀伯格博士将(1)将她的研究扩展到第二只鹦鹉，考察(A)社会模式的物种认同(即，鹦鹉与人类)和(B)训练者和受训者之间不同程度的社会互动的影响；(2)通过调查代码可用于理解问题、数字概念、对象-对象关系、介词、指代不实际存在的对象(位移)、描述新的对象或环境(生产力)、识别二维形式、动词的使用、否定、以及标签如何影响回忆物体的能力。这些任务可以与海豚和非人类灵长类动物使用的任务相媲美。通过这种方式，佩珀伯格博士的研究拓展了我们对非哺乳动物物种认知能力的看法。佩珀伯格博士还将继续研究社会建模如何为声乐学习的其他研究提供见解。通过这样的分析，她拓宽和深化了我们对鸟鸣和人类语言发展的科学理解。事实证明，她设计的训练技术在治疗发育迟缓的人方面可能很有价值。

Developing the ability to communicate in a particular code involves learning not just how to produce that code, but also how to use it. Dr. Pepperberg will study these processes by determining the conditions that are required for teaching a subject a repertoire that it would not normally acquire (an "exceptional code"), and then examining its functional use of this code. Dr. Pepperberg has shown previously that training procedures that rely on referential social modeling enable an African Grey parrot to acquire and combine English vocalizations (an exceptional code) to (a) request, refuse, quantify, identify, and categorize objects, and (b) control, to a limited extent, its immediate environment. Dr. Pepperberg will (1) extend her study to a second parrot, examining the effects of (a) species identity of the social model (i.e., parrot vs. human) and (b) varying degrees of social interaction between the trainers and trainee; (2) examine the level of acquired competence by investigating the extent to which this code can be used for comprehending questions, numerical concepts, object-object relations, prepositions, referring to objects not physically present (displacement), describing novel objects or circumstances (productivity), recognizing two- dimensional forms, use of verbs, negation, and how labeling may affect the ability to recall an object. These tasks are comparable to those that have been used with dolphins and non- human primates. In this way, Dr. Pepperberg's research is expanding our view of the cognitive capabilities of a non- mammalian species. Dr. Pepperberg also will continue to examine how social modeling may offer insights into other studies of vocal learning. Through such analyses, she is broadening and deepening our scientific understanding of the development of bird song and of human speech. Training techniques that she devises may prove valuable in work with developmentally retarded persons.