Animal Intelligence Flashcards
1
Q
You are a hairy ape
A
- You have the same number of hairs on your body as a chimpanzee
- exact same bones and muscles
- legs are a little longer and your pelvis smaller
o walk upright - jaw and your teeth are smaller
2
Q
You have basically the same brain
A
Belief that early humans’ ability to hunt in groups was special - Nope… other animals hunt cooperatively too
3
Q
Man… “the tool user”
A
Belief that early humans’ ability to make tools and manipulate the environment made us special
- No, other animals make tools too
4
Q
Man… “the communicator”
A
- Belief that early humans’ ability to use language and understand symbols made us special
- Not really… yes, humans are great at symbolic thought
- But, some animals can learn to use language and symbols too
- Monkeys, prairie dogs, whales, and dolphins may have specific calls that we might describe as “words”
5
Q
What makes animals intelligent?
Three things…
A
- Brain size to body size
- Big brains relative to the size of the body
- Strategies used to find food
- Ability to find highly nutritious food that may be scarce or difficult to obtain
- Being social
- Ability to interact, communicate, and learn from others
- Requires an added form of “social” intelligence
6
Q
Animals with biggest brain to body size
A
- Humans
- Dolphins
- Chimpanzees
- Baboons
- Crows
- Wolves (dogs)
- Elephants
- Gorillas
7
Q
- Intelligence in animals influenced by diet
A
- How difficult is it for the animal to obtain food?
- What kind of food does it eat?
(Hunting animals requires more intelligence)
- What kind of food does it eat?
8
Q
Feedback loop - food
A
- Nutritous food sources fuel bigger brains
- High in fats, sugars, and proteins
- Bigger brains needed find more nutritious food
- Often more nutritious food sources are hidden or on the move
9
Q
Man’s best friend
A
- Dogs have rare forms of social intelligence
- Dogs outperform chimpanzees on some tasks
- Wolves do not show the same abilities as dogs
10
Q
Dogs understand…
A
pointing - A form of symbolic thought
- Understand information is being communicated to them
11
Q
Theory of Mind
A
- Ability to attribute mental states to others
- Understand that other people have minds like yours
- Develops in humans around 3-4 years old
- May involve activation of mirror neurons
12
Q
- Mirror Neurons
A
- Neurons in premotor cortex in monkeys
- Responded when animals reached for objects
- Also responded watching another monkey reach
13
Q
Uniquely Human Qualities
A
- Self concepts
- Self conscious emotions
- Conversational langauge
14
Q
Self concepts
A
- Other animals may have self-awareness, but don’t seem to have distinct self concepts
15
Q
Self-conscious emotions
A
- Emotions about how we feel about ourselves
- Embarrassment, Pride, Shame
