Metacognition and self awareness Flashcards
What is self awareness?
Understanding the self as different from others, with different knowledge, understanding, awareness and desires
What is self recognition?
The ability to differentiate between yourself (visually, audibly, etc) and others
What did Gallup (1970) find?
> Chimps
Mirror mark test
Initially reflection treated as another chimp, later became aware it was reflection
Attempted to rub mark off own face
What did Lin et al (1992) find?
> Chimps
Mirror mark test
Demonstrated self recognition at 2.5y
What are the criticisms of Lin et al (1992)?
> Behaviour evidence was ambiguous
Didn’t use anaesthesia, instead used a sham mark
No control
Marks made in the presence of cage mates
What did Patterson and Cohn (1994) find?
> Some gorillas display mirror self recognition and others don’t
Gorillas display gaze aversion in front of mirrors
All attempts to replicate have failed
What are the criticisms of the mark test?
> Measures of self directed behaviour are largely subjective
Did not measure behaviour before mirror exposure
Chimps spontaneously touch their faces often
Increased time orientated to the mirror may have a dishabituation effect
What did Gallup et al (1995) find?
> Chimps
Mirror mark test altered to reflect criticism
Compared facial and body marks
Found no difference in ambient face touching
Chimps smell fingers after facial mark touching (unusual)
What did Povinelli (1989) find?
> Elephants
Mirror mark test and using mirrors to find hidden food
Failed mark test
Succeeded in using mirrors to find hidden food
What did Kusayama et al (2000) find?
> Crows
Mirror exposure
Sex difference found; males attacked mirror, females preened
What did Pepperberg et al (1995) find?
> Parrots
Failed mirror mark test
Could use mirrors to find hidden objects
What did Prior et al (2008) find?
> Magpies
Mirror mark test
Displayed self recognition
What are the features of metacognition?
> Metamemory and uncertainty monitoring
Ability to reflect
Judgements based on questions or cues
What did Cowie and Stoerig (1995) find?
> Monkeys with lesions in left visual cortex (and controls)
> Demonstrated blindsight (actually specifically demonstrated Balint syndrome tbh)
What did Smith et al (1995) find?
> Dolphins
Pitch discrimination task
Dolphins could make an uncertain response
Made uncertain response at close pitches
Displays uncertainty monitoring
