Peter Jones L3 + L4

Question 1

How do mental processes in animals evolve?

Answer 1

Through natural selection - echolocation in bats

Question 2

Hans the horse

Answer 2

Math ability of 14-year-old
Could only answer correctly when seeing the questioner and the questioner knew the answer - non-verbal cue reading?

Question 3

H+S pigeons

Answer 3

Honig and Stewart, 1989 - pigeons responded based on relative numerosity rather than absolute number

Question 4

Absolute number/Ordinal scale - Monkeys - B&T(&C)

Answer 4

Brannon and Terrace 2000 - Evidence of understanding absolute numbers
Brannon, Cantlon and Terrace, 2006 - suggests use of ordinal scale

Question 5

Social facilitation

Answer 5

Increased likelihood of performing a behaviour while it is being performed by others - not an example of social learning

Question 6

Benefits of social learning

Answer 6

Shortcuts, less risky

Question 7

Learning which foods are safe in rats G

Answer 7

Galef (1988) - social transmission of flavour preference - not due to exposure - observer goes where demonstrator flavour is located

Question 8

Socially acquired food aversion S&B

Answer 8

monkeys - Snowdon and Bow, 2003

Question 9

Do animals learn to imitate?

Answer 9

The topography of behaviour must be the same, but apparent imitation has problems with interpretation

Question 10

Why are we so interested in imitation?

Answer 10

Because it shows that animals adapt their behaviour to what others do - might result from associations

Question 11

Imitation studies (5)

Answer 11

Milk bottle birds, potato wash macaques, lever reward rats, bidirectional control (rats + birds) and dogs pulling lever with non-preferential technique

Question 12

Issues with mental state studies of non-human animals

Answer 12

We cannot measure sense of self - but rather we draw inferences from behaviour

Question 13

Mirror tests

Answer 13

Mirror tests improve after extensive exposure (dolphins and pigeons) and many animals fail the mirror test

Question 14

Theory of Mind h

Answer 14

Heyes, 1998 - an animal with a theory of mind believes that mental states play a causal role in generating behaviour and infers the presence of mental states in others by observation lead to behaviour

Question 15

Why does language matter?

Answer 15

because language sets us apart from other animals and underpins our achievements

Question 16

Chimpanzees and language

Answer 16

Lack of vocal apparatus for speech, use sign language/yerkish, most words = Koko (250), words don’t show knowledge of language, rare meaningful word utterances - lack of novel sentences

Question 17

Sentence comprehension dolphins

Answer 17

Akeakamai - trained with sign language - tested with novel phrases and suggestions for syntax understanding