Animal Language

Question 1

Anthropomorphism is…

Answer 1

The tendency to attribute human characteristics to animals

Question 2

Anthropocentrism is…

Answer 2

The tendency to view animals from a human perspective

Question 3

What is Morgan’s canon?

Answer 3

The idea that you should find the simplest explanation for animal behaviour

Question 4

Tinbergen’s 4 questions for behaviour

Answer 4

1. Function (why?)
2. Phylogeny (what species?)
3. Ontology (development – how is it learned, maintained?)
4. Mechanism (e.g. biological)

Question 5

What type of research did Bitterman suggest?

Answer 5

Systematic variation i.e. training across numerous conditions – but difficult to implement

Question 6

Clever Hans

Answer 6

The horse which learned to do maths. But actually just responding to signals from the researchers.

Question 7

What is communication? What are its purposes?

Answer 7

Intentional or unintentional signals transmitted between animals. LT purpose = survive and reproduce, ST purpose = signal danger, mate etc.

Question 8

Von Frisch’s bees

Answer 8

Round dance = food source <100m; waggle dance = food source >100m + indicates direction.

Question 9

Wenner & Wells’ 1960s critique of Von Frisch

Answer 9

Bees just use odour/find food without return of dancing bee etc

Question 10

Michelson et al 1992 mechanical bee

Answer 10

Found mechanical bee conveyed info

Question 11

Riley et al. 2005 bee tracking

Answer 11

Bees found unscented food, even after being moved away from the original location

Question 12

Vervet monkeys’ alarm calls

Answer 12

21 distinct alarm calls for predators

Question 13

*Vervet monkeys stopped responding to recorded calls after 8 calls, 30 mins apart. What is this an example of from a behavioural perspective?

Answer 13

Habituation

Question 14

If monkeys attending to sound, they should _____, if attending to meaning, they should _____.

Answer 14

Look around, pay no attention (due to already habituated response.)

Question 15

What are the 4 criteria for sounds to be considered a language? A Scrumptious Danish Pastry

Answer 15

1. Arbitrariness of units i.e. ceci n’est pas un pipe
2. Semanticity i.e. meaning
3. Displacement i.e. communication about distant events in time and space
4. Productivity i.e. rules and potential for flexibility

Question 16

Apes and sign language

Answer 16

Washoe the chimp learned 132 signs after 5 years – heavily reliant on conditioning

Nim Chimpsky learned 125 signs – not full sentences e.g. swan = water bird, maybe responding to external stimuli (not displacement). Seems to do it most for reward

Question 17

Dolphins semantically reversible sentences

Answer 17

HOOP FETCH PIPE vs PIPE FETCH HOOP - 52% correct