Do capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) use tokens as symbols?. Addessi, E., Crescimbene, L., & Visalberghi, E. Proc Biol Sci, 274(1625):2579-85, 2007. doi abstract bibtex In the absence of language, the comprehension of symbols is difficult to demonstrate. Tokens can be considered symbols since they arbitrarily stand for something else without having any iconic relation to their referent. We assessed whether capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) can use tokens as symbols to represent and combine quantities. Our paradigm involved choices between various combinations of tokens A and B, worth one and three rewards, respectively. Pay-off maximization required the assessment of the value of each offer by (i) estimating token numerousness, (ii) representing what each token stands for and (iii) making simple computations. When one token B was presented against one to five tokens A (experiment 1), four out of ten capuchins relied on a flexible strategy that allowed to maximize their pay-off, i.e. they preferred one token B against one and two tokens A, and they preferred four or five tokens A against one token B. Moreover, when two tokens B were presented against three to six tokens A (experiment 2), two out of six capuchins performed summation over representation of quantities. These findings suggest that capuchins can use tokens as symbols to flexibly combine quantities.
@Article{Addessi2007,
author = {E. Addessi and L. Crescimbene and E. Visalberghi},
journal = {Proc Biol Sci},
title = {Do capuchin monkeys ({C}ebus apella) use tokens as symbols?},
year = {2007},
number = {1625},
pages = {2579-85},
volume = {274},
abstract = {In the absence of language, the comprehension of symbols is difficult
to demonstrate. Tokens can be considered symbols since they arbitrarily
stand for something else without having any iconic relation to their
referent. We assessed whether capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) can
use tokens as symbols to represent and combine quantities. Our paradigm
involved choices between various combinations of tokens A and B,
worth one and three rewards, respectively. Pay-off maximization required
the assessment of the value of each offer by (i) estimating token
numerousness, (ii) representing what each token stands for and (iii)
making simple computations. When one token B was presented against
one to five tokens A (experiment 1), four out of ten capuchins relied
on a flexible strategy that allowed to maximize their pay-off, i.e.
they preferred one token B against one and two tokens A, and they
preferred four or five tokens A against one token B. Moreover, when
two tokens B were presented against three to six tokens A (experiment
2), two out of six capuchins performed summation over representation
of quantities. These findings suggest that capuchins can use tokens
as symbols to flexibly combine quantities.},
doi = {10.1098/rspb.2007.0726},
keywords = {Animal, Animals, Behavior, Cebus, Choice Behavior, Female, Learning, Male, Reward, Social Behavior, 17698487},
}
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