Why should we study other species?

Question 1

3 MAIN CATEGORIES THAT DROVE HUMANS EvOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT HISTORICALLY

Answer 1

Foraging demands, social factors and Language & communication skills

Question 2

Role of social factors

Answer 2

Complexity of social objects > physical objects.
When we have to deal with changing demands of social objects we use that to our advantage to successfully navigate social relationships –> leads to increased fitness/ reproductive fitness. Requires ability to represent memory demands for non-present states.

Question 3

avoid anthropomorphism

Answer 3

Try and not attribute mental states to animals on the basis of their behavior - As much as possible break down laminal (including human) behavior into the simplest explanation of component parts - Leaning on operate conditioning and classical conditioning

Question 4

tools use primates

Answer 4

Frequency of tool use in primates is linked to both absolute and relative size of brain, as well as relative forebrain

Question 5

Learning n Tools/ Insight

Answer 5

Implies causal or reasoned knowledge - Don’t necessarily have to act out something to find the answer (can think about it and get it) - Don’t have to see the consequences in order to predict them

Question 6

Wolfgang Kohler (1925) Apes

Answer 6

Worked out solution to get banana (stacking boxes) without having to act it out first, suggested that chimps display insight BUT: Maybe stinging together more basic forms of behavior to achieve goal.

Question 7

Heinrich, B. & Bugnyar, T. (2007)

Answer 7

Naïve ravens will pull string up to draw food closer- structure is different and ravens have to pull down (instead of up) to get food: Naïve ravens will give up and not learn, only experienced ravens will carry out some form of this behavior -Pulling down to pull something up defies logic requires more complex representations of a possible logic system

Question 8

Taylor, A.H. et al. (2010): restircted feedback vs available feedback

Answer 8

Restricted: naïve crows couldn’t do it, experienced crows could do it but not efficiently
Visual feedback: naïve and experienced can carry it out
Suggests that spontaneous string pulling observed in the wild may not be due to insight or logic

Question 9

What looks intentional, deliberate and planned, may rely heavily on basic learning mechanisms e.g. operant conditioning, shaping & experience, to investigate, we have to:

Answer 9

• Break behaviour down into simpler steps
• Test for causal understanding
• use naïve subjects (if we want to exclude prior learning effects)

Question 10

Instrumental learning (Operant learning)

Answer 10

Associative learning procedure, effect of a behavior that is carried out in a particular situation that either increases (reinforces) or decreases (punishes) the probability of a behavior occurring again, have to act on the environment in order to have that behavior reinforced

Question 11

Holzhaider et al.(2008): Caledonian crows and Pandanus leaf stem

Answer 11

leaf have natural barbs along one edge that enable them to function as hooking implements, found no preference for the functional tool over the non-functional tool, crows could not distinguish between the 2, When tool does not work, crows flip it over to get the hooks in the right directions, do that with both tools

Question 12

Shettleworth (2010): social transmission of predator recognition

Answer 12

Naive crow learns mobbing behaviour response to neurtal stimulus = associative learning, needs no social explanation Observational Conditioning & species typical behavior observed

Question 13

imitation

Answer 13

Is part of social learning but can also be separated out.
Requires intentional replication of a behavior intended to lead to the intended goal (understanding of intention & causal understanding). - debated in chimps and other primates, appear to imitate might just be able to do emulation (unaware of the intention behind the behavior).

Question 14

3 main kinds of learning that contribute to tool use?

Answer 14

1. Insight 2. Instrumental learning 3. Imitation and social learning & culture as a result of imitation.

Question 15

4 characteristics of humans in terms of culture

Answer 15

1. Can learn from other people’s faulty behaviours and modify them without even having to physically behave like them first (through trial & error or reasoning)
2. Changes introduced in one generation are adopted and further elaborated in the next in a process of cumulative change
3. Social learning more process than product oriented (Chimpanzee learning product oriented)
4. Our potential to imitate sets us apart from other animals/ gave us an evolutionary benefit that has increased over time?

Question 16

Melis, Hare & Tomasello (2006) cooperating chimps findings?

Answer 16

• Chimps recognize when collaboration necessary - co-op rather with effective than ineffective helpers - choose collab that has been most helpful and fair - refuse if knows no food from dominant - Chimps with high levels of pre-existing social development (measures by sharing behavior) work well together

Question 17

Bullinger, Melis & Tomasello (2011): chimps motivation in coop?

Answer 17

By large, opt for solo option, unless more food/ befit with working collaboratively, Due to emotional and temperamental experiences in the moment that drives chimps actions, Desire to get something immediately drives their behaviour.

Question 18

Hare, Call, Agnetta & Taomasello (2000): 1st of chimps and theory of mind

Answer 18

Food visible for both, and one only visible to submissive chimp only - Even If subordinate entered first, goes for food that the dominant can’t see, leaves food in the middle alone

Question 19

Hare, Call & Tomasello (2001): follow up of chimps and theory of mind

Answer 19

In control condition: both sub and dom see food being placed behind the thing, submissive doesn’t go for hidden food BUT if a different dom chimpwill be let in the room with sub chimp, sub chip goes for the hidden food, but NOT in Sally Anne (false belief)condition

Question 20

Chimps undestand others is ? but not ?

Answer 20

percpetion-goal psychology, belief-desire

Question 21

Social Brain hypothesis?

Answer 21

Dunbar (2009): Relationship between size of social group and neocortex ratio (neocortex volume/brain volume) - Tries to explain evolution of intelligence as a result of selection through social intelligence.