| Records |
| Author |
Bonnie, K.E.; Horner, V.; Whiten, A.; de Waal, F.B.M. |
| Title |
Spread of arbitrary conventions among chimpanzees: a controlled experiment |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Proceedings. Biological sciences / The Royal Society |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc Biol Sci |
| Volume |
274 |
Issue |
1608 |
Pages |
367-372 |
| Keywords |
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| Abstract |
Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) have a rich cultural repertoire--traditions common in some communities are not present in others. The majority of reports describe functional, material traditions, such as tool use. Arbitrary conventions have received far less attention. In the same way that observations of material culture in wild apes led to experiments to confirm social transmission and identify underlying learning mechanisms, experiments investigating how arbitrary habits or conventions arise and spread within a group are also required. The few relevant experimental studies reported thus far have relied on cross-species (i.e. human-ape) interaction offering limited ecological validity, and no study has successfully generated a tradition not involving tool use in an established group. We seeded one of two rewarded alternative endpoints to a complex sequence of behaviour in each of two chimpanzee groups. Each sequence spread in the group in which it was seeded, with many individuals unambiguously adopting the sequence demonstrated by a group member. In one group, the alternative sequence was discovered by a low ranking female, but was not learned by others. Since the action-sequences lacked meaning before the experiment and had no logical connection with reward, chimpanzees must have extracted both the form and benefits of these sequences through observation of others. |
Address  |
Living Links, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. kebonni@emory.edu |
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English |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0962-8452 |
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| Notes |
PMID:17164200 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
157 |
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| Author |
Whiten, A. |
| Title |
Social complexity and social intelligence |
Type |
Conference Article |
| Year |
2000 |
Publication |
Novartis Foundation Symposium |
Abbreviated Journal |
Novartis Found Symp |
| Volume |
233 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
185-96; discussion 196-201 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Brain/anatomy & histology/*physiology; Humans; *Intelligence/physiology; Learning; Models, Psychological; Primates; *Social Behavior; Social Problems |
| Abstract |
When we talk of the 'nature of intelligence', or any other attribute, we may be referring to its essential structure, or to its place in nature, particularly the function it has evolved to serve. Here I examine both, from the perspective of the evolution of intelligence in primates. Over the last 20 years, the Social (or 'Machiavellian') Intelligence Hypothesis has gained empirical support. Its core claim is that the intelligence of primates is primarily an adaptation to the special complexities of primate social life. In addition to this hypothesis about the function of intellect, a secondary claim is that the very structure of intelligence has been moulded to be 'social' in character, an idea that presents a challenge to orthodox views of intelligence as a general-purpose capacity. I shall outline the principal components of social intelligence and the environment of social complexity it engages with. This raises the question of whether domain specificity is an appropriate characterization of social intelligence and its subcomponents, like theory of mind. As a counter-argument to such specificity I consider the hypothesis that great apes exhibit a cluster of advanced cognitive abilities that rest on a shared capacity for second-order mental representation. |
| Address |
School of Psychology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JU, UK |
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English |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1528-2511 |
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| Notes |
PMID:11276903 |
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no |
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Serial |
2084 |
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| Author |
Caldwell, C.A.; Whiten, A. |
| Title |
Evolutionary perspectives on imitation: is a comparative psychology of social learning possible? |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
| Volume |
5 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
193-208 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Evolution; Humans; *Imitative Behavior; Learning; Models, Animal |
| Abstract |
Studies of imitation in animals have become numerous in recent times, but do they contribute to a comparative psychology of social learning? We review this burgeoning field to identify the problems and prospects for such a goal. Difficulties of two main kinds are identified. First, researchers have tackled questions about social learning from at least three very different theoretical perspectives, the “phylogenetic”, “animal model”, and “adaptational”. We examine the conflicts between them and consider the scope for integration. A second difficulty arises in the methodological approaches used in the discipline. In relation to one of these – survey reviews of published studies – we tabulate and compare the contrasting conclusions of nine articles that together review 36 studies. The basis for authors' disagreements, including the matters of perceptual opacity, novelty, sequential structure, and goal representation, are examined. In relation to the other key method, comparative experimentation, we identify 12 studies that have explicitly compared species' imitative ability on similar tasks. We examine the principal problems of comparing like with like in these studies and consider solutions, the most powerful of which we propose to be the use of a systematic range of task designs, rather than any single “gold standard” task. |
| Address |
School of Psychology, Washington Singer Laboratories, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK. C.A.Caldwell@exeter.ac.uk |
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English |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
1435-9448 |
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| Notes |
PMID:12461597 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2593 |
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| Author |
Assersohn, C.; Whiten, A.; Kiwede, Z.T.; Tinka, J.; Karamagi, J. |
| Title |
Use of leaves to inspect ectoparasites in wild chimpanzees: a third cultural variant? |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Primates |
Abbreviated Journal |
Primates |
| Volume |
45 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
255-258 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Animals, Wild/physiology; Ape Diseases/*parasitology; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Ectoparasitic Infestations/parasitology/*veterinary; Female; Grooming/*physiology; Male; Pan troglodytes/*physiology; *Plant Leaves; Protozoa/*isolation & purification; Uganda |
| Abstract |
We report 26 cases of using leaves as tools with which wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Sonso community, Budongo Forest, Uganda, appeared to inspect objects removed during grooming. Careful removal of potential ectoparasites and delicate lip or manual placement on leaves followed by intense visual examination characterised this behaviour. It appears to be done to judge whether either ingestion or discarding is most appropriate, the former occurring in most cases. This behaviour may represent a third variant of ectoparasite handling, different from those described at Tai and Gombe, yet sharing features with the latter. These two East African techniques may thus have evolved from leaf grooming. |
| Address |
Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9JU, Fife, UK |
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English |
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0032-8332 |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:15179558 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
733 |
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| Author |
Whiten, A.; Goodall, J.; McGrew, W.C.; Nishida, T.; Reynolds, V.; Sugiyama, Y.; Tutin, C.E.; Wrangham, R.W.; Boesch, C. |
| Title |
Cultures in chimpanzees |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
1999 |
Publication |
Nature |
Abbreviated Journal |
Nature |
| Volume |
399 |
Issue |
6737 |
Pages |
682-685 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Cognition; *Culture; Humans; Pan troglodytes/*physiology; Species Specificity |
| Abstract |
As an increasing number of field studies of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) have achieved long-term status across Africa, differences in the behavioural repertoires described have become apparent that suggest there is significant cultural variation. Here we present a systematic synthesis of this information from the seven most long-term studies, which together have accumulated 151 years of chimpanzee observation. This comprehensive analysis reveals patterns of variation that are far more extensive than have previously been documented for any animal species except humans. We find that 39 different behaviour patterns, including tool usage, grooming and courtship behaviours, are customary or habitual in some communities but are absent in others where ecological explanations have been discounted. Among mammalian and avian species, cultural variation has previously been identified only for single behaviour patterns, such as the local dialects of song-birds. The extensive, multiple variations now documented for chimpanzees are thus without parallel. Moreover, the combined repertoire of these behaviour patterns in each chimpanzee community is itself highly distinctive, a phenomenon characteristic of human cultures but previously unrecognised in non-human species. |
| Address |
Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology, University of St Andrews, UK |
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English |
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0028-0836 |
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| Notes |
PMID:10385119 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
742 |
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| Author |
Whiten, A. |
| Title |
Imitation of the sequential structure of actions by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
1998 |
Publication |
Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983) |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Comp Psychol |
| Volume |
112 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
270-281 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Appetitive Behavior/physiology; *Ceremonial Behavior; Exploratory Behavior/physiology; Female; Fruit; Imitative Behavior/*physiology; Learning/*physiology; Male; Pan troglodytes/*psychology; Practice (Psychology); Problem Solving/*physiology |
| Abstract |
Imitation was studied experimentally by allowing chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to observe alternative patterns of actions for opening a specially designed “artificial fruit.” Like problematic foods primates deal with naturally, with the test fruit several defenses had to be removed to gain access to an edible core, but the sequential order and method of defense removal could be systematically varied. Each subject repeatedly observed 1 of 2 alternative techniques for removing each defense and 1 of 2 alternative sequential patterns of defense removal. Imitation of sequential organization emerged after repeated cycles of demonstration and attempts at opening the fruit. Imitation in chimpanzees may thus have some power to produce cultural convergence, counter to the supposition that individual learning processes corrupt copied actions. Imitation of sequential organization was accompanied by imitation of some aspects of the techniques that made up the sequence. |
| Address |
Scottish Primate Research Group, School of Psychology, University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. a.whiten@st-andrews.ac.uk |
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English |
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Edition |
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0735-7036 |
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| Notes |
PMID:9770315 |
Approved |
no |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
743 |
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| Author |
Whiten, A.; Custance, D.M.; Gomez, J.C.; Teixidor, P.; Bard, K.A. |
| Title |
Imitative learning of artificial fruit processing in children (Homo sapiens) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
1996 |
Publication |
Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983) |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Comp Psychol |
| Volume |
110 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
3-14 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Child, Preschool; Discrimination Learning; Female; Food Preferences/*psychology; *Fruit; Humans; *Imitative Behavior; Male; Mental Recall; Pan troglodytes/*psychology; Social Environment |
| Abstract |
Observational learning in chimpanzees and young children was investigated using an artificial fruit designed as an analog of natural foraging problems faced by primates. Each of 3 principal components could be removed in 2 alternative ways, demonstration of only one of which was watched by each subject. This permitted subsequent imitation by subjects to be distinguished from stimulus enhancement. Children aged 2-4 years evidenced imitation for 2 components, but also achieved demonstrated outcomes through their own techniques. Chimpanzees relied even more on their own techniques, but they did imitate elements of 1 component of the task. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental evidence of chimpanzee imitation in a functional task designed to simulate foraging behavior hypothesized to be transmitted culturally in the wild. |
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Scottish Primate Research Group, University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. aw2@st-andrews.ac.uk |
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English |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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0735-7036 |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:8851548 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
744 |
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| Author |
Stoinski, T.S.; Wrate, J.L.; Ure, N.; Whiten, A. |
| Title |
Imitative learning by captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in a simulated food-processing task |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2001 |
Publication |
Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983) |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Comp Psychol |
| Volume |
115 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
272-281 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Behavior, Animal/physiology; *Discrimination Learning; Feeding Behavior/*physiology; Gorilla gorilla; *Imitative Behavior; Social Behavior |
| Abstract |
Although field studies have suggested the existence of cultural transmission of foraging techniques in primates, identification of transmission mechanisms has remained elusive. To test experimentally for evidence of imitation in the current study, we exposed gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) to an artificial fruit foraging task designed by A. Whiten and D. M. Custance (1996). Gorillas (n=6) watched a human model remove a series of 3 defenses around a fruit. Each of the defenses was removed using 1 of 2 alternative techniques. Subsequent video analysis of gorillas' behavior showed a significant tendency to copy the observed technique on 1 of the individual defenses and the direction of removal on another defense. This is the first statistically reliable evidence of imitation in gorillas. Sequence of defense removal was not replicated. The gorillas' responses were most similar to those of chimpanzees. |
| Address |
TECHlab, Zoo Atlanta, Georgia 30315, USA. stoinskit@mindspring.com |
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English |
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Edition |
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0735-7036 |
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| Notes |
PMID:11594496 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
738 |
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| Author |
Whiten, A.; Boesch, C. |
| Title |
The cultures of chimpanzees |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2001 |
Publication |
Scientific American |
Abbreviated Journal |
Sci Am |
| Volume |
284 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
60-67 |
| Keywords |
Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Culture; Feeding Behavior; Grooming; Hominidae; Humans; Pan troglodytes/*physiology |
| Abstract |
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| Address |
University of St. Andrews |
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English |
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Edition |
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0036-8733 |
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| Notes |
PMID:11132425 |
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no |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
740 |
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