| Records |
| Author |
Pepperberg, I.M.; Brezinsky, M.V. |
| Title |
Acquisition of a relative class concept by an African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus): discriminations based on relative size |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
1991 |
Publication |
Journal of Comparative Psychology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Comp Psychol |
| Volume |
105 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
286-294 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Aptitude; *Concept Formation; *Discrimination Learning; Form Perception; Male; Mental Recall; *Parrots; *Size Perception; Vocalization, Animal |
| Abstract |
We report that an African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus), Alex, responds to stimuli on a relative basis. Previous laboratory studies with artificial stimuli (such as pure tones) suggest that birds make relational responses as a secondary strategy, only after they have acquired information about the absolute values of the stimuli. Alex, however, after learning to respond to a small set of exemplars on the basis of relative size, transferred this behavior to novel situations that did not provide specific information about the absolute values of the stimuli. He responded to vocal questions about which was the larger or smaller exemplar by vocally labeling its color or material, and he responded “none” if the exemplars did not differ in size. His overall accuracy was 78.7%. |
| Address |
Northwestern University |
| Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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| Publisher |
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Place of Publication |
Washington, D.C. : 1983 |
Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0735-7036 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:1935007 |
Approved |
yes |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
3610 |
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| Author |
Pepperberg, I.M. |
| Title |
The value of the Piagetian framework for comparative cognitive studies |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
5 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
177-182 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Behavior, Animal; *Cognition; Discrimination Learning; *Intelligence; *Models, Psychological; *Models, Theoretical |
| Abstract |
Although the Piagetian framework has been used by numerous researchers to compare cognitive abilities of diverse species, the system is often criticized as implemented. I examine the various criticisms, suggest ways in which the system can be improved, and argue for the need for descriptive systems such as the Piagetian framework to complement programs that look for cellular and molecular bases or mathematical models to explain behavior. |
| Address |
School of Architecture and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. impepper@media.mit.edu |
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Place of Publication |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1435-9448 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:12357290 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2595 |
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| Author |
Pepperberg, I.M. |
| Title |
“Insightful” string-pulling in Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) is affected by vocal competence |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
7 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
263-266 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Association Learning; *Discrimination Learning; Humans; Male; *Parrots; *Problem Solving; Verbal Behavior; Verbal Learning; *Vocalization, Animal |
| Abstract |
Four Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) were tested on their ability to obtain an item suspended from a string such that mutiple, repeated, coordinated beak-foot actions were required for success (e.g., Heinrich 1995). Those birds with little training in referential English requests (e.g. “I want X”) succeeded, whereas birds who could request the suspended item failed to obtain the object but engaged in repeated requesting. |
| Address |
MIT School of Architecture and Planning, Bldg 7-231, 77 Massachusetts Ave, MA 02139, Cambridge, USA. impepper@media.mit.edu |
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Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1435-9448 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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| Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:15045620 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2537 |
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| Author |
Pepperberg, I.M. |
| Title |
Grey parrot numerical competence: a review |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2006 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
9 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
377-391 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Behavior, Animal; *Comprehension; *Concept Formation; *Mathematics; *Parrots |
| Abstract |
The extent to which humans and nonhumans share numerical competency is a matter of debate. Some researchers argue that nonhumans, lacking human language, possess only a simple understanding of small quantities, generally less than four. Animals that have, however, received some training in human communication systems might demonstrate abilities intermediate between those of untrained nonhumans and humans. Here I review data for a Grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) that has been shown to quantify sets of up to and including six items (including heterogeneous subsets) using vocal English labels, to comprehend these labels fully, and to have a zero-like concept. Recent research demonstrates that he can also sum small quantities. His success shows that he understands number symbols as abstract representations of real-world collections, and that his sense of number compares favorably to that of chimpanzees and young human children. |
| Address |
Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA |
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Place of Publication |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1435-9448 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:16909236 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2448 |
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| Author |
Pepperberg, I.M. |
| Title |
Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Current Directions in Psychological Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Curr. Dir. Psychol. Sci. |
| Volume |
11 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
83-87 |
| Keywords |
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| Abstract |
Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) solve various cognitive tasks and acquire and use English speech in ways that often resemble those of very young children. Given that the psittacine brain is organized very differently from that of mammals, these results have intriguing implications for the study and evolution of vocal learning, communication, and cognition. |
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Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
580 |
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| Author |
Pepperberg, I.M. |
| Title |
In search of king Solomon's ring: cognitive and communicative studies of Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Brain, behavior and evolution |
Abbreviated Journal |
Brain Behav Evol |
| Volume |
59 |
Issue |
1-2 |
Pages |
54-67 |
| Keywords |
*Animal Communication; Animals; Attention/physiology; Cognition/*physiology; Cues; Form Perception/physiology; Humans; Intelligence; Learning/physiology; Male; Models, Psychological; Parrots/*physiology; Psychomotor Performance/physiology; Reward; Social Behavior |
| Abstract |
During the past 24 years, I have used a modeling technique (M/R procedure) to train Grey parrots to use an allospecific code (English speech) referentially; I then use the code to test their cognitive abilities. The oldest bird, Alex, labels more than 50 different objects, 7 colors, 5 shapes, quantities to 6, 3 categories (color, shape, material) and uses 'no', 'come here', wanna go X' and 'want Y' (X and Y are appropriate location or item labels). He combines labels to identify, request, comment upon or refuse more than 100 items and to alter his environment. He processes queries to judge category, relative size, quantity, presence or absence of similarity/difference in attributes, and show label comprehension. He semantically separates labeling from requesting. He thus exhibits capacities once presumed limited to humans or nonhuman primates. Studies on this and other Greys show that parrots given training that lacks some aspect of input present in M/R protocols (reference, functionality, social interaction) fail to acquire referential English speech. Examining how input affects the extent to which parrots acquire an allospecific code may elucidate mechanisms of other forms of exceptional learning: learning unlikely in the normal course of development but that can occur under certain conditions. |
| Address |
The MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, Mass. 02139, USA. impepper@media.mit.edu |
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Place of Publication |
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| Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0006-8977 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:12097860 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
579 |
| Permanent link to this record |
