Cognitive - Savage-Rumbaugh

Question 0

What was the main aim of this study?

Answer 0

The main aim was to describe the language acquisition of two Pygmy chimps in the first instance without training

Question 1

What was the main focus of this study?

Answer 1

Language acquisition

Question 2

What was the secondary aim?

Answer 2

To compare language capabilities of the Pygmy chimps with some common chimps

Question 3

Research method of the first aim?

Answer 3

Longitudinal Case study

Question 4

Research method of the secondary aim?

Answer 4

Quasi experiment

Question 5

What is the sample technique?

Answer 5

Opportunity

Question 6

Describe the sample used in this study

Answer 6

Two Pygmy chimps, one Kanzi (make) and the other Mulika (female). Both were born in captivity and had contact with their mother Matata.
Also, two common chimps names Sherman and Austin

Question 7

Main research aim IV and DV?

Answer 7

Had none

Question 8

Secondary research aim IV and DV?

Answer 8

IV- sources of the chimp

DV- the amount of language acquired

Question 9

Controls of this study

Answer 9

• Video tapes and a computer recordings all data.
• Along with the fact the observer didn’t know the data would be used for reliability - meaning no fraud of it.
• Then there had to be 100% agreement on all decisions and on the trips the independent clarifier was unaware of where to go

Question 10

Describe the procedure

Answer 10

• the use of a electrical, synthesised lexigram which lit up when touched, and a board when outside
• showed interest since 1 and a half years old due to Matata
• compared to the common chimps who had no outside lexigram or synthesiser
• food places at 17 locations. Could pick what food they wanted and walk there
• complete record of kanzi’s utterances for 17 months
• each word had to be spontaneous or in a correct context to count
• Kanzi and Mulika were tested on their words with a visual and aural test

Question 11

Outline the results of this study

Answer 11

• Kanzi and Mulika used gestures to communicate
• had no trouble using the lexigram of moves or altered
• Kanzi acquired 46 words, Mulika acquired 37
• Kanzi produced 2,540 combinations with only 10 being wrong
• 80% of utterances were spontaneous

Question 12

Outline some conclusions of the study

Answer 12

• the Pygmy chimps learned to use utterances spontaneously

- the acquisition of language is easier in Pygmy than common chimp

Question 13

Outline practical applications of this study

Answer 13

Helps us understand our closest living relative in more detail

Question 14

Evaluate the ethics of this study

Answer 14

On one hand the conditions they lived in represented their natural environment, on the other hand they were born in captivity - and had lots of human contact, not with their own kind

Question 15

Evaluate the ecological validity of this study

Answer 15

On one hand they did natural things which monkeys do in the wild - like play and eat. In the other they were studied in a humanised environment, which isn’t natural for them

Question 16

What data types were used in this study?

Answer 16

Quantitative - the lexigram utterances, words learnt

Qualitative - combos and gestures

Question 17

Two strengths of the study

Answer 17

• longitudinal case study

- both data types collected

Question 18

Two disadvantages of the study

Answer 18

• environments were not identical

- small sample size

Question 19

Outline two changes to this study

Answer 19

• increase the sample size

- rear chimps in identical environments