Spontaneous number representation in semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys. Hauser, M. D, Carey, S., & Hauser, L. B. Proc Biol Sci, 267(1445):829-833, 2000. doi abstract bibtex Previous research has shown that animals possess considerable numerical abilities. However, this work was based on experiments involving extensive training, a small number of captive subjects and relatively artificial testing procedures. We present the results of experiments on over 200 semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys using a task which involves no training and mimics a natural foraging problem. The subjects observed two experimenters place pieces of apple, one at a time, into each of two opaque containers. The experimenters then walked away so that the subjects could approach. The monkeys chose the container with the greater number of apple slices when the comparisons were one versus two, two versus three, three versus four and three versus five slices. They failed at four versus five, four versus six, four versus eight and three versus eight slices. Controls established that it was the representation of number which underlay their successful choices rather than the amount of time spent placing apple pieces into the box or the volume of apple placed in the box. The failures at values greater than three slices stand in striking contrast to other animal studies where training was involved and in which far superior numerical abilities were demonstrated. The range of success achieved by rhesus monkeys in this spontaneous-number task matches the range achieved by human infants and corresponds to the range encoded in the syntax of natural languages.
@Article{Hauser2000a,
author = {Marc D Hauser and Susan Carey and L. B. Hauser},
journal = {Proc Biol Sci},
title = {Spontaneous number representation in semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys.},
year = {2000},
number = {1445},
pages = {829-833},
volume = {267},
abstract = {Previous research has shown that animals possess considerable numerical
abilities. However, this work was based on experiments involving
extensive training, a small number of captive subjects and relatively
artificial testing procedures. We present the results of experiments
on over 200 semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys using a task which involves
no training and mimics a natural foraging problem. The subjects observed
two experimenters place pieces of apple, one at a time, into each
of two opaque containers. The experimenters then walked away so that
the subjects could approach. The monkeys chose the container with
the greater number of apple slices when the comparisons were one
versus two, two versus three, three versus four and three versus
five slices. They failed at four versus five, four versus six, four
versus eight and three versus eight slices. Controls established
that it was the representation of number which underlay their successful
choices rather than the amount of time spent placing apple pieces
into the box or the volume of apple placed in the box. The failures
at values greater than three slices stand in striking contrast to
other animal studies where training was involved and in which far
superior numerical abilities were demonstrated. The range of success
achieved by rhesus monkeys in this spontaneous-number task matches
the range achieved by human infants and corresponds to the range
encoded in the syntax of natural languages.},
doi = {10.1098/rspb.2000.1078},
keywords = {Animal, Animals, Behavior, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Infant, Macaca mulatta, Male, Mathematics, Mental Processes, 10819154},
}
Downloads: 0
{"_id":"3iSjtQSp3woo7k8vg","bibbaseid":"hauser-carey-hauser-spontaneousnumberrepresentationinsemifreerangingrhesusmonkeys-2000","author_short":["Hauser, M. D","Carey, S.","Hauser, L. B."],"bibdata":{"bibtype":"article","type":"article","author":[{"firstnames":["Marc","D"],"propositions":[],"lastnames":["Hauser"],"suffixes":[]},{"firstnames":["Susan"],"propositions":[],"lastnames":["Carey"],"suffixes":[]},{"firstnames":["L.","B."],"propositions":[],"lastnames":["Hauser"],"suffixes":[]}],"journal":"Proc Biol Sci","title":"Spontaneous number representation in semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys.","year":"2000","number":"1445","pages":"829-833","volume":"267","abstract":"Previous research has shown that animals possess considerable numerical abilities. However, this work was based on experiments involving extensive training, a small number of captive subjects and relatively artificial testing procedures. We present the results of experiments on over 200 semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys using a task which involves no training and mimics a natural foraging problem. The subjects observed two experimenters place pieces of apple, one at a time, into each of two opaque containers. The experimenters then walked away so that the subjects could approach. The monkeys chose the container with the greater number of apple slices when the comparisons were one versus two, two versus three, three versus four and three versus five slices. They failed at four versus five, four versus six, four versus eight and three versus eight slices. Controls established that it was the representation of number which underlay their successful choices rather than the amount of time spent placing apple pieces into the box or the volume of apple placed in the box. The failures at values greater than three slices stand in striking contrast to other animal studies where training was involved and in which far superior numerical abilities were demonstrated. The range of success achieved by rhesus monkeys in this spontaneous-number task matches the range achieved by human infants and corresponds to the range encoded in the syntax of natural languages.","doi":"10.1098/rspb.2000.1078","keywords":"Animal, Animals, Behavior, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Infant, Macaca mulatta, Male, Mathematics, Mental Processes, 10819154","bibtex":"@Article{Hauser2000a,\n author = {Marc D Hauser and Susan Carey and L. B. Hauser},\n journal = {Proc Biol Sci},\n title = {Spontaneous number representation in semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys.},\n year = {2000},\n number = {1445},\n pages = {829-833},\n volume = {267},\n abstract = {Previous research has shown that animals possess considerable numerical\n\tabilities. However, this work was based on experiments involving\n\textensive training, a small number of captive subjects and relatively\n\tartificial testing procedures. We present the results of experiments\n\ton over 200 semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys using a task which involves\n\tno training and mimics a natural foraging problem. The subjects observed\n\ttwo experimenters place pieces of apple, one at a time, into each\n\tof two opaque containers. The experimenters then walked away so that\n\tthe subjects could approach. The monkeys chose the container with\n\tthe greater number of apple slices when the comparisons were one\n\tversus two, two versus three, three versus four and three versus\n\tfive slices. They failed at four versus five, four versus six, four\n\tversus eight and three versus eight slices. Controls established\n\tthat it was the representation of number which underlay their successful\n\tchoices rather than the amount of time spent placing apple pieces\n\tinto the box or the volume of apple placed in the box. The failures\n\tat values greater than three slices stand in striking contrast to\n\tother animal studies where training was involved and in which far\n\tsuperior numerical abilities were demonstrated. The range of success\n\tachieved by rhesus monkeys in this spontaneous-number task matches\n\tthe range achieved by human infants and corresponds to the range\n\tencoded in the syntax of natural languages.},\n doi = {10.1098/rspb.2000.1078},\n keywords = {Animal, Animals, Behavior, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Infant, Macaca mulatta, Male, Mathematics, Mental Processes, 10819154},\n}\n\n","author_short":["Hauser, M. D","Carey, S.","Hauser, L. B."],"key":"Hauser2000a","id":"Hauser2000a","bibbaseid":"hauser-carey-hauser-spontaneousnumberrepresentationinsemifreerangingrhesusmonkeys-2000","role":"author","urls":{},"keyword":["Animal","Animals","Behavior","Feeding Behavior","Female","Humans","Infant","Macaca mulatta","Male","Mathematics","Mental Processes","10819154"],"metadata":{"authorlinks":{}}},"bibtype":"article","biburl":"http://endress.org/publications/ansgar.bib","dataSources":["xPGxHAeh3vZpx4yyE"],"keywords":["animal","animals","behavior","feeding behavior","female","humans","infant","macaca mulatta","male","mathematics","mental processes","10819154"],"search_terms":["spontaneous","number","representation","semi","free","ranging","rhesus","monkeys","hauser","carey","hauser"],"title":"Spontaneous number representation in semi-free-ranging rhesus monkeys.","year":2000}